Cursed Hearts
by E.M.Bryant97
Summary: After ten years of peace and quiet, Robin and Regina thought their days of saving the world were over. But when their daughter Caroline befriends a certain wicked witch, things in Storybrooke take an unexpected turn. Sequel to 'We Can Love Again'.
1. A Surprise Encounter

**Hey guys! Yes, the sequel to We Can Love Again is finally here! I know most of you have read the previous fanfic I wrote, and I'm so happy y'all were excited about this sequel. For new comers to the series, I'd love for you to tag along too! You don't necessarily have to have read the first one to start this one. It'll be an extremely fun few months ahead of us. I have lots of plans for this new fic- there will be action, adventure, and family feels, along with more Outlaw Queen drama and quite a few surprises. I know you guys will love it!**

**Let's get this disclaimer out of the way- I do not own any characters or settings in this fanfiction, except for Caroline. I only manipulate them to my own free will :) **

**So, without further ado, here's the sequel! **

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CURSED HEARTS

Hurried footsteps sounded around the corner, followed by the ding of a bell fastened to the top of the door. Snow flurries feathered the outside sky, making the diner seem especially welcoming that Monday afternoon. Business was slow, yet the room seemed to light up at the presence of the nine year old girl.

"Hi Granny, Mom sent me to get dinner." She began, sitting herself up on one of the barstools.

The elderly woman smiled. She had a soft spot for the girl, considering the fact that her life had begun in her quaint little restaurant.

"Alright then Miss Caroline, what will it be today?"

Fishing out a crumpled list from her pocket, she squinted at her father's messy handwriting. "Lasagna, macaroni salad, and three hamburgers- Roland insisted on getting two for himself."

Granny chuckled, accepting the girl's crisp twenty dollar bill and sticking it in the register. "We'll have all that out as soon as possible. You just sit tight."

That was something Caroline was used to doing. The diner was a second home to her, along with everyone in it. She had grown up with these people, never knowing anything else than the small little town of Storybrooke, Maine. Though things weren't very eventful, there were still many tales of villains and heroes, battling head to head for the sanctity of true love. She knew very well of her family's past history; her mother, the powerful queen, and her father, the outlaw with the bravest heart of them all. Of course she was proud to call herself the daughter of Regina and Robin Hood, but life at home was far from eventful. In her school, there were only five other students her age. She didn't mind it too much, it only meant she spent a large majority of time with her family. Her huge, slightly chaotic family.

"Hey kid, anything new happening with you?" Ruby Lucas asked, catching Caroline's attention quickly.

Her response only came in a shrug. "Not much. Just school."

The waitress had to roll her eyes at her enthusiasm as she filled a glass with chocolate milk. "At least you're surviving the cold. Your mom owes you for making you come out here in storm like this." Ruby then slid the glass of milk over to her, smiling as the nine year old quickly drank it down.

Caroline wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, smirking at her comment. "Yeah, but I don't mind. Being at home means watching Roland playing video games and Mom talking about work."

"Well, you're always welcome at the apartment. When Will isn't trying to cook, that is."

She had to chuckle at that one. Her uncle Will was something else.

"That man is a disgrace to cooking," Granny intervened, setting a large paper bag down in front of her. "Now you be careful getting this home, Caroline Grace. And tell your mother to quit sending you outside when it's ten below; you're bound to catch something one of these days."

The girl smirked, sliding off the barstool and taking the gigantic bag in her arms. "Okay Granny. Thanks for the food!"

After Granny and Ruby both bid their goodbyes, Caroline set off on the journey back to her house. The snow flurries had vanished, yet the temperature had stayed at its bone chilling temperature of three degrees. It seemed as though Storybrooke had frozen over.

Pressing the bag against her coat, she began down the white covered sidewalk, only able to go a few feet before she slipped on a patch of ice, sending her and her family's dinner onto the ground. Caroline responded with a groan, instantly taking attention to the pain from her knee. Looking down, she was less than amused to see a tear had appeared in one of her good pair of jeans. Not only a tear, but a scrape as well- blood began to appear over her skin, followed by more pain. There she was, Caroline Hood, nine years old, sitting in the middle of the sidewalk, her dinner scattered in the snow beside her; she looked helpless in every way possible.

"Are you hurt?"

A voice sounded from the silence, causing the girl to glance upward in surprise.

"Uh, no, just got a scrape. I'll be okay." She replied, though, not in a convincing way.

Her mysterious hero was dressed in a black coat and snow boots, two things necessary for surviving a winter in Storybrooke. As Caroline focused more on the perfect stranger, she realized that her rescuer was a woman, seemingly the same age as her mother.

"That doesn't look good," she noted, unzipping her purse and fishing her hand inside. "Luckily, I have a solution."

Tentatively, the woman kneeled down before her, presenting her with a thin white bandaid. "May I?"

Caroline was skeptical, but she figured there could be no harm done in having some help. Soon, the bandaid was placed over her wound, and she was helped up to her feet. Surveying the catastrophic scene before her, Caroline's heart sank when she saw that the macaroni salad had spilled all over the snow.

"Surely Granny can make you another one," the woman attempted, picking up the bag and handing it to the girl. "I've got to pick up an order myself."

Perplexed at her kindness, the nine year old followed her back into the restaurant, feeling rather ashamed at what she had done. The sinking feeling inside had to chance of going away- her mother was going to be angry when she saw the rip in her pants.

"Granny... Do you think you could make another macaroni salad? It sort of... Spilled."

The older woman gave her an unamused look. "I told you to be careful, Caroline!"

Her face fell into a saddened pout, something she was good at doing. It worked every time with her father.

"I'm sorry, I promised Mom I'd be back by five."

Granny wasn't a woman to be messed with. Everyone knew this; she was tough as nails, absolutely nothing nor no one frightened her. But, for Caroline... There was hardly anything she wouldn't do.

"It's okay dear. It'll be another few minutes, though."

Instantly, the girl's gloomy expression turned into a smile. "Thank you!"

For a second, Caroline thought she caught a faint smile on Granny's face.

"And you had the cheesecake, right?" She asked, turning her attention to the woman beside her. For a second, Caroline had forgotten she was even there.

Ruby handed her the small round dish with a smile, collecting her money and getting on with her job.

"Cheesecake is probably the most delicious thing in this realm," she sighed, breathing in the smell with a smile. "Would you... Like to share some with me? You'll be here for a little bit longer, and I certainly can't eat all this myself."

The nine year old hesitated for a second; she was right, but she also knew her parents wouldn't be happy with the fact that she was talking with a stranger. They were most likely already angry with her, though, for taking so long at the diner. So she nodded and sat down in the chair across from the woman who had come to her aid just minutes prior, awkwardly accepting a fork from her and taking a small bite from the side.

"You're the mayor's daughter, right?"

Caroline nodded warily towards the mysterious woman.

"I can tell. You look like her."

"Do you have any kids?" She knew she had to start reciprocating questions before the awkwardness fried her to pieces right there at the diner.

The woman chuckled as she reached for another bite. "No, it's just me. I do work with babies, though."

The confusion was still biting at the back of her mind; Caroline had lived in Storybrooke her entire life, and not once had she seen this woman before. If the stories her parents had told her were true, then everyone in the town had been there since before the curse was broken, back when they had forgotten who they really were. Some people had avoided the curse, and still lived in a land called the Enchanted Forest. Nobody could switch between realms, not easily, that was. And if they did, surely the nine year old would have heard about it.

"Is something wrong?" She heard the woman ask, making her realize that her expression had changed.

"No, I was just wondering why I've never seen you before," Caroline admitted, figuring there was no harm in saying it. "Were you here since the town was created, or do you have..."

The woman eyed her curiously. "Have what, dear? Magic?"

There was something new in her voice then, suddenly making Caroline extremely interested in what she had to say.

"No, I didn't arrive here with the rest of these people," she began, "I made my own portal. Just a few weeks ago, actually."

She took pleasure in seeing the nine year old's brown eyes widen with curiosity.

"So you do have magic, then. What's the Enchanted Forest like?"

Chuckling, the woman slowly took another bite of cheesecake. "It's certainly beautiful. Perhaps when we have more time I can tell you about it."

The answer wasn't the answer she was expecting, but even that couldn't stop the excitement from spooky in Caroline's face. She had actually met someone besides her parents who had recently been to the Enchanted Forest; someone who also had magic, nonetheless. Before that day, she had believed that only her mother, Emma, Mother Superior, and Rumplestiltskin had magic in their town.

"Now, you said your mother was Regina Mills," the woman continued curiously, "so who's your father then?"

Caroline properly licked the cheesecake from her fork before replying. "Robin Hood. I have two older brothers on top of that."

After she said that, she caught a look of surprise on the woman's face- she had absolutely no idea why.

"Isn't he... A thief? I think I remember his name around in the Enchanted Forest."

Caroline let out a small laugh. "I think he used to be, but he's just my dad now."

When she reached for another bite of cheesecake, she realized that it was completely gone. How that happened was something even she didn't know.

"Caroline, your food is ready!" Granny shouted across the diner, causing the girl to turn around in her chair.

"Well, I guess I better get going," she said, "thanks for sharing your cheesecake with me. And for uh, helping me with that fall."

The woman smiled back at her. "Not a problem! You're strong for a girl like yourself."

"Hey, I'll be ten in three weeks. I can take care of myself." Caroline countered, "but I'll definitely be more careful this time."

She was about to turn around and retrieve her food, but that was before she realized that she didn't even know the woman's name.

"Oh yeah, what's your name? You know, just in case my mom knows you or something."

Standing up, the woman held the empty cheesecake box in her hands, sliding her purse back over her shoulder.

"Zelena. Yours?"

Caroline had to take a moment to ponder on that name- definitely unique, to say the least. But, even without knowing her name, she could never possibly forget the woman with hair red as fire.

"Caroline,"

They shook hands then, making the girl feel delightfully grown up.

"That's a pretty name. Well hopefully I'll see you around town, Caroline."

And she secretly hoped she did. Finally; something interesting was happening in the quiet little town of Storybrooke.

The nine year old didn't hesitate to grab her second order of food and take off towards home.

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**Yes, I did pick up right where the epilogue left off. I can't wait to develop more of the Hood family characters- Caroline is almost ten, Roland is fifteen, and Henry is twenty two. **

**Let's talk update days. I'll be honest, I won't have as much time to write as I did last year, which results in less available updating days a week. I'm thinking I'll update twice a week- Mondays and Fridays. Yes? No? **

**Now, what could the Wicked Witch of the West be doing in Storybrooke? Be sure to tune in Monday to find out... **


	2. The Hood Family

**I know it may be hard at first to think of Henry and Roland ten years older, but we'll all get used to eventually. By what you guys told me, seems like updating Mondays and Fridays will work. Here's chapter two!**

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Snow had always been something she was fond of. It was something simple, yet it made such a beautiful appearance through her front window. This day, however, Regina wasn't looking outside her window for enjoyment- her daughter was out there somewhere. And even though the snow looked stunning, she knew there were hidden dangers laced beneath the surface.

"I knew one of us should've went with her," Regina signed, managing to tear her eyes from the scene in front of her to face her husband.

As usual, there was a pleasant smile on his face- after ten years of knowing him, she knew exactly what he was going to say.

"You worry too much, dear, she's just going to Granny's."

She then heard a moan from the living room. "And she's taking forever!"

Caroline was taking forever. That was what had begun her worry in the first place. A nine year old shouldn't be out in such horrible weather.

"It's probably just busy today, that's all," Robin said, comforting her to the best of his abilities, as always.

Soon, she felt a pair of arms around her, filling her with a warmth only he could give. Maybe her complete family wasn't there, but at least her husband was.

"Guys, we established this- no romance in the living room!" Roland hollered when he saw them, trying to avoid the mushy couple as he plopped down on the couch.

Robin responded to his son's outburst by playfully pecking his wife on the cheek, knowing it would irritate him further.

"I don't remember making any deals about that," he stated, holding Regina tighter and watching the teen blatantly ignore him.

Robin didn't want to call his fifteen year old son awkward, but that was exactly what teenagers were- awkward. Sure he had passed through all the voice changes, the random bouts of growth spurts, the hormones, but Roland was still turned off completely by love or affection. He absolutely hated his mother giving him hugs, which she still enforced upon him, or even just complimenting him on simple things. Regina worried it was because he was scared of girls; however, Roland did have a few friends that were girls. And, as far as she knew, her second son had received the exact same 'birds and bees' talk from Robin that Henry got when he was his age. His twenty two year old brother was getting along well with girls- a little bit too well, for Regina's liking.

"What's Alex doing for the weekend?" She asked, his focus down on the screen of his phone.

"Uh, I think she's helping out her mom at her studio. Why?"

"Just asking," she said, sensing his defensiveness, "you haven't invited her over for a while. Same with August."

Even though August Booth was a year and a half older than him, he was one of Roland's best friends. He had been fairly successful in keeping up with his second chance at being a good boy, spending a majority of his time with his grandfather in his woodcarving shop. It was slightly weird when they first started hanging out, because Regina knew August as a thirty year old writer who rode a motorcycle around town. The seventeen year old August rode that same motorcycle.

"Don't worry about me, Mom," Roland chuckled, setting his phone down when he heard the front door open.

Relief flooded through her system when she saw her daughter trudge into the house, her shoes squeaking against the hardwood as she set the bags of food down on the kitchen table.

"What took you so long?" Regina asked; naturally the first thing she said.

Caroline shook the snow from her hair, slipping off her coat and taking off her shoes.

"Granny's was super busy! And, uh-"

"What happened to your jeans?" Regina demanded, practically gasping when she saw the rip on her left knee.

She honesty didn't think her mother would notice as quickly as she did. "I slipped! I'm sorry, I didn't mean to."

Lowering herself down to her knees, Regina began to inspect the problem. "At least you got a bandaid over it- does it hurt?"

Caroline was beyond relieved she didn't ask about who had helped her. "Not really. Just stings a little. Can you fix it with magic?"

Behind her, Roland already had his arm dipped inside the paper bag, pulling out the food one by one. When Regina turned around, both he and Robin were caught in the act. She pointed a threatening finger towards them.

"We eat when I say we eat, so sit down and be patient."

Robin set his fork down in defeat, letting out a faint "yes dear," as he took his seat.

Satisfied, Regina turned back towards her daughter, waving her hand over the rip and watching the fabric mend itself.

"There you go," she said with a smile, standing up to give her a hug, her skin still cold, "thank you for going out there."

It really wasn't a big deal, but she smiled anyways.

"Now, let's have some of that lasagna I've been craving," Regina said, sitting down at the head of the table and beginning to dish out the food. Family dinners were always a pleasure for the Hoods; it was time when they could all be together, even with all the business in their lives. Robin was still ran the animal shelter, Regina was mayor of the town, Roland had baseball practice just about every day, and Caroline had recently taken piano as an interest, which meant lessons once a week over at Mother Superior's house. Their oldest, Henry, was attending college in Toronto, living close to where Neal and Tinkerbell had ran off to. Regina was happy to hear about her dear friend, the fairy who had brought her and Robin together in the first place, and the blossoming relationship she and Neal shared. Henry had said in his latest letter home that they were doing just fine. It seemed as though Henry were still her little prince, the boy who read comic books and dreamed of fairytales- now he was an adult, a senior in college, majoring in political science.

"So, Princess, how was school today?" Robin asked, watching his daughter pick at the food scattered around her plate.

"Boring. We just talk about boring stuff all the time."

She didn't think her response was amusing, but both her parents smiled and exchanged glances with one another.

"You must do something fun at school," her father continued, "what's fourth grade without any fun?"

It was cool to have her godmother, Snow White, as her teacher, but she could never get herself to sit still and pay attention. There were so many other places she could be, anywhere but trapped in a desk and chair for eight hours.

"Is there anyone else in this town with magic?" She asked, completely out of the blue. Caroline couldn't help but ask; the question had been nagging her since Zelena had told her.

Regina gave her daughter an odd look, not sure what to say at first. "Well, Mother Superior has magic," she began, "and so does Rumple, Emma, and myself. Why are you asking?"

For a second, Caroline froze. She didn't know why, but her encounter with the redheaded woman wasn't something she wanted to tell them about. But if Zelena was telling the truth about coming into the town with a portal, by the looks of things, her parents most likely didn't know about it.

"I don't know, it just seems like more people should have it, I guess," she admitted, before taking a sip of her milk.

Her mother gave her a look from across the table. "People are fine without it," she reassured, "magic can make things crazier than they need to be."

Beside her, Roland smirked. "Then I wouldn't ever have to do homework again."

Regina cast her eyes down towards her plate as the bitter memory of Roland's accident returned into her thoughts. He had been young, so close to the edge of death; yet now, almost ten years later, he didn't remember a thing about it. More specifically, the fact that Caroline had magic. Both parents had told him that he had simply slipped on a wet floor and bashed his head- everything else that had happened in that week was subtracted from the conversation. Henry, being twelve at the time of that disaster, hadn't forgotten about what had really went down between his mother and his uncle. He still knew Caroline had magic, though, since his sister didn't, it certainly wasn't a hard secret to keep. The turquoise earrings were never something discussed- the girl thought nothing of them. So there they were, a normal family, just like everyone else, their children filled with enough ignorance to allow them to live a happy, content life. There was no magic needed. The price simply wasn't worth it.

Robin seemed to notice the change in behavior of his wife, for he was at her side within seconds.

"You'd still have to do it," he chuckled, "I'm not about to raise uneducated children in this household."

Rolling his eyes, Roland took the last bite of his second hamburger and downed his soda.

"You're one to talk, you never had to take geometry, or chemistry, or history..."

Well, he wasn't lying. Robin had taken off when he was around his age.

"True, but knowing that stuff won't kill you. Henry graduated with all A's, and look where he is now. Speaking of your brother, you better get that room cleaned before he gets in town tomorrow."

The mention of her oldest brother instantly perked up Caroline's attention. She was more than excited for him to visit again; the last time had been Christmas. He always had so many stories to tell about the world outside Storybrooke. Sometimes, Henry even brought her back little gifts.

"What will we do with him?" She asked, interest sparking across her small face.  
Regina smiled. "Whatever we want. I want to arrange a little arrival party with Emma and her parents so we can all be together when he gets here- oh, and Grace too."

Grace Hatter was Henry's girlfriend. They had officially been together for about three years, starting in their senior year of high school. She lived with her father in that huge mansion of a house, and took online classes from the University of Maine. Obviously having Henry away for a majority of the time made her lonely, but Regina had made it very clear to her that she was welcome at the Hood home any time she liked. Caroline absolutely loved having her over- to her, Grace was an older sister she could always confide in. Both Robin and Regina enjoyed her company, too- she was such a sweet girl. She worked long hours at the hospital, studying under Doctor Whale's watchful eye in hope of becoming a nurse one day.

For the first time since the nine year old had returned form Granny's, Caroline let the encounter with Zelena slip from her mind. Her brother Henry was finally coming home.

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**So, is Zelena completely evil, or is she searching for a second chance? We'll find out as the story goes on :) I honestly don't think there are enough fanfics out there that truly justify Zelena's character. Obviously most of us will be forever mad that Adam and Eddy killed her off the way she did (maybe she'll be in season 4?) because she had so much potential with Regina. I really can't wait for you guys to read what I have in store for the both of them, as well as Caroline. Thank you all for reading! **


	3. Henry's Return

**I'm loving the feedback you guys have been sending so far! It's awesome to know that the same fans of We Can Love Again are loving this sequel so far. There's going to be Hace in this chapter- I think it's a ship all of us can agree on in the fandom haha. I know I originally called her Paige, but I think I'll be sticking with calling her Grace. I'll be introducing adult Henry in this chapter too. Hope you all enjoy! **

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Regina quite liked her job at city hall as the mayor. She was hesitant to accept the position again, since she had two children at home to take care of, but it was an offer she knew she couldn't refuse. Being mayor was something she enjoyed doing. Her mother had forced so many leadership tactics in her head in order for her to become queen one day- Regina couldn't let those skills be put to waste. The intentions of Cora's plans were entirely selfish, but that didn't mean her daughter couldn't make something positive out of it. It was so much easier to rule over a kingdom where everyone treated her like they would anyone else. She had earned their respect, and she couldn't be more grateful for that.

As much as she loved her job, being stuck in an office on a Saturday afternoon wasn't the ideal situation. Especially with the excitement of Henry returning to town. She didn't love the fact that her son was so far away, but she knew she could trust him to make good decisions on his own. Having a child attending a university made her feel so old. Much to everyone's surprise, however, Regina really didn't mind getting old- it meant she and Robin spent many happy years together, as well as many more in the future. Seeing her children grow was quite possibly the greatest rewards she could ever think of for being a mother.

Over the years, her office had generally stayed the same. In the days before the curse was broken, she had kept the decorations down to a minimum. She had no reason to do otherwise. In her current age in time, Caroline stopped by the office frequently. A few of her things were still scattered across the room from her last visit. Pictures now lined her walls and her desk, capturing the happy moments of her daughter's first ten years of life.

She was occupied with the task of filing papers for another parking lot that was supposed to start construction in the next week. It had been a long day of contracts and phone calls, something she was used to doing. But with the excitement of her son coming home, it was near impossible for her to focus on anything. She sent the Charmings (and Grace) a text to meet at her house at five, when she got off, but that didn't give her any time to help out or get ready. Henry said he would be there around then if traffic wasn't too bad. Regina knew Caroline was practically bouncing off the walls to see him again; Roland was too, even if he didn't show it. Things had been slow at the animal shelter where Robin worked, so he sent her a text that said he would be closing up early and heading home- that meant Regina was the only one not there.

Her nails tapped against the wood of her desk as she forced herself to concentrate on the paper long enough to slap her signature down at the bottom. After she did so, she glanced back down at her phone to check the time. 4:13. Dreadful.

"Regina?" A small voice from her doors sounded, instantly bringing the mayor's attention to her personal assistant in her doorway. Her name was Penny- Regina quite liked her.

"I can finish things up here if you want to head home. It's no problem."

The brunette smiled softly and shook her head. "No, I could ever ask you to do that for me. I'll be fine- Henry will probably be late getting here anyways."

"Caroline called here about eight times begging me to tell you to come home. I can't just say no to a nine year old."

Regina sighed. "I told her to stop calling you for things. I'm so sorry-"

"No need to apologize," Penny chuckled, "I like talking to her. And, if my son were visiting from Canada, I'd want as much time with him as possible."

After she said that, Regina knew there was no talking her out of it. Penny was just as stubborn as she was. So, she grabbed her purse, her keys, and her coat, abandoning her paperwork without a second thought.

"Thank you so much," she smiled, "I'll owe you coffee for a week- something like that."

There was no way she could object to that offer. "That'd be great. Now go spend time with your family- they need you."

And she knew she was telling the truth. Regina just hoped she would have time to get things ready- anything for her oldest son.

* * *

Sometimes it slipped Snow White's mind that there was a time in her life where she hated her stepmother, wanted her dead, even. Ever since Robin came into the queen's life, her cold outward appearance had dissolved into a woman who was full of love, kindness, and hope. Snow had known all those traits were inside of her from the moment she had met her, even if Cora had done everything in her power to make her her daughter would live a miserable life within castle walls.

But, ten years later, Snow openly invited herself into Regina's house, along with her husband and her daughter, knowing exactly where her spare key was hidden. In just minutes, the quiet white house had transformed into a lively environment- the kitchen was alive with wafting smells and sizzling sounds, the living room filled with laughs and animated conversations.

"Roland, your dumb dog is getting in the way!" Caroline shouted, swiveling the vacuum cleaner around the beagle, who was laying down in the middle of the carpeted floor.

"She's not dumb, she's just half blind, give her some slack." Roland countered, gently picking up the ten year old dog and setting her on the couch.

"How's it going over here?" Snow asked, carrying two cups of hot chocolate in her hands as she assessed the living room.

Caroline smiled with pride. "All vacuumed. Does that mean I get some cocoa?"

"It most certainly does," Snow answered, handing her a cup, "and what about you, Roland?"

The fifteen year old held up the feather duster in the air. "Everything's dusted. Not like there was much dust in this house to begin with; Mom's an obsessive cleaner."

His dry sarcasm always made Snow laugh- most of the time he didn't even try to be funny. But Roland was right, Regina was so acute about making sure everything in her household was perfectly in its place.

"Very true," she admitted, handing him the second cup.

From the kitchen, Emma's phone went off, causing everyone in the house to stop what they were doing and turn their attention towards her. There was a collective gasp hanging still in the air as the blonde quickly read the message. When Emma finished, her eyes widened to the size of saucers.

"He'll be here in ten minutes." She announced in a graven tone, glancing up towards her family, "he'll be here in ten minutes. Where the hell is Regina?"

That was a question nobody had an answer for.

"He has to be close to the town line then," Robin said, in the kitchen helping Ruby construct sandwiches as she managed a kettle of soup on the side. Emma, Killian, David, and Will had joined in to make a makeshift assembly line.

"You three want to join in?"

Caroline grabbed Snow's hand and took off towards the kitchen, fishing out a stack of plates from the cupboards and piling sandwiches onto them. It was amusing to see the girl reach so eagerly for each finished sandwich Will handed to her. The nine year old was finally tall enough to see over the countertop- it seemed like just months ago Snow had to lift her up to be able to grab anything from up there.

Everyone was so focused on finishing up the sandwiches, they didn't even notice the door opening behind them. Regina had rushed home as quickly as she could, coincidentally bumping into Grace on the way. The two entered the house, instantly feeling the warm air melt away the cold they had endured through.

"Mom!" Caroline shouted, leaving the job for Snow and Roland to finish so she could run over and give her a hug.

"What's going on in here?"

"Sandwiches!" The girl answered quickly, giving Grace a hug too. Her brother's girlfriend was still in her purple scrubs, with her blonde hair pulled up in a bun and her tired eyes still managing to sparkle with a happy excitement.

"Excited to see your brother?" Grace asked, a playful smile on her face as she admired the girl's enthusiasm.

"Yes! We've spent the entire day getting the house ready."

Regina offered to take Grace's jacket, sticking it in the front closet and evaluating the scene in front of her.

"Seems like you've all been hard at work," she smirked, placing her hands on Roland's shoulders and glancing down at the sandwiches that were beginning to pile up.

Though she had only contacted the Charmings about coming over, Regina knew she would come home to a herd of people. If Emma came, so did Killian. Same with Will and Ruby. But she didn't mind; they were all her family, a huge band of misfits maybe, but family.

"We've got less than ten minutes until he says he's coming," Emma told her, equally as excited as she was to see her son again.

"Then me made it just in time," Grace smiled, "seems like you guys have everything under control here. Did you get that science project finished, Caroline?"

She nodded. "And I got an A on it. Highest grade in the class, right Snow?"

The woman chuckled. "That's the price of having you as one of my students, huh?"

"But we love it," Regina interjected, wrapping her arms around her daughter from behind, "even if there aren't a lot of kids in her class."

They all knew Caroline was somewhat of a shy girl- having five other classmates didn't help in that matter.

"There were only thirteen other kids in mine and Henry's class even we graduated," Grace reassured, "you just have to make due with what you have."

"Isn't that the truth," Will added in when he passed by, carrying silverware in his hands and helping Ruby set the table.

With most all of the work completed, everyone else had began friendly conversations with one another. Regina loved these- simple family gatherings at the house, getting a laugh or two out, forgetting about everything else, just for a moment.

There was then a knock on the door. Everyone stopped their talking and turned their eyes towards the front door, smiles covering all their faces instantly as Henry Mills came walking through the door.

He was just as they all remembered him- tall, just over six foot, with dark eyes, tussled brown hair, and a kind smile. He had a slight shadow of facial hair, though, that was different. But he was still Henry, Regina's little prince, the boy with the heart of the truest believer.

"Hey guys," he smiled, waving toward the crowd of happy faces as his two mothers came to embrace him. "Missed you both, Moms."

Emma promised herself she wouldn't cry, but seeing her son again caused all the memories to come flooding back into her mind, making her so thankful she had him back.

Obviously they all wanted to hear about what he had been up to, but they could wait. Just having Henry back with them was more than enough for the moment.

"Hey buddy," Henry smirked towards his younger brother, who instantly rolled his eyes at the nickname.

"I'm fifteen, you don't have to call me that anymore."

He hugged him anyways. "But it's cool you're back. Nobody around here is as good as Call of Duty like you are."

"We'll have to play sometime soon," Henry chuckled, "but we both know I'll cream you."

There was that ambition Roland had missed so much.

"Henry!" Came Caroline's voice as she bounded towards him, practically jumping into his arms. "I missed you!"

The twenty two year old loved the relationship he shared with his little sister. Like him, she craved adventure, making for great stories that were exchanged between them.

She was a dreamer- full of belief in things unknown, still clinging to the same childlike attributes he had when he first went to find Emma in Boston.

"You're getting taller!" He exclaimed, instantly comparing her current height to when he had last seen her, "it's like you're a little tree- you just keep growing."

Caroline smiled back, some of her top teeth still missing, giving her an even more adorable appearance. "Did you talk like a Canadian yet? I watched a movie at school where these guys said _eh_ after every sentence. Do you do that?"

The seriousness of her question caused Henry to crack up on the spot.

"Not yet. It's a skill that takes practice," he answered, looking up to see the greeting smile of his girlfriend, Grace. Holding his arms out playfully, he hugged her tightly, instantly feeling the peace he had waited months to feel again.

"I've missed you so much, eh?" Henry grinned, causing both his sister and his girlfriend to laugh.

"Oh shut up," Grace muttered, leaning in to place a kiss on his lips.

The next few minutes were filled with more hugs, friendly conversations, and the simple joy of catching up. There was so much to be done in the little amount of time they had with him, but neither of Henry's mothers would trade it for the world. Their family was once again complete; though they all had their pasts, trials, and mistakes, they all had one another- that was a simple gift not everyone in Storybrooke was blessed with.

* * *

**I can't wait to develop more relationships in this fanfic as it continues on. How do you guys like Henry so far? Next chapter I'll write more of Henry and Grace, as well as more family feels. Zelena will make her return very soon too, don't worry! **


	4. Proving a Point

**As promised, more Hace and family feels in this one. This chapter has a lot of cute, fun things in it, as well as a little surprise in the end ;)**

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It didn't take long for Henry's return to transform into a series of laughs and screams from the front lawn. Snowballs where whizzing from every direction- every once in a while someone would attempt to run across the middle ground, shooting more snowballs towards the opposing team.

Naturally, it had been Caroline who had started the outside war. They were finished looking through Henry's college pictures, and needed something to do. Roland had suggested a movie. So, with Tansformers playing in the living room, the extended family all splayed across the floor, wrapped in blankets and sipping hot cocoa. It was nice at first, the excitement of her big brother being home with them still running through her system, but it didn't take long before the nine year old to become bored. She had no idea what was happening in the movie, nor did she care. Everyone else seemed to be fairly into it- Caroline was old enough to know that movies were a chance for the couples within her family to cuddle with one another. Emma and Killian were both a few feet away from her, their backs against the couch, and a bowl of popcorn between them. Snow had her head on Charmimg's shoulder, Ruby was half asleep on Will's chest, and occasionally, her father's hand would trace along her mother's back. Grace hadn't left Henry's side for practically the entire night.

Two months- that was how long Henry had been gone for. As relaxing it was to sit back and watch a movie (even if she had no idea what it was about), Caroline wanted to do more interactive things with her brother. Before he left, the two of them would spend hours outside playing random games, always competing with one another for the fun of it. Since Roland almost always refused to do anything with her, sometimes she got lonely.

So, sitting next to her father, the second most competitive man she knew, Caroline quickly struck an idea as she remembered how her conversation went with Zelena at Granny's two days prior.

"Dad," Caroline whispered, tapping his shoulder lightly, "can I ask you something?"

Robin eventually tore his eyes from the screen in front of them and glanced down at her. "Shoot."

A sly but cautious glance fell upon his daughter's face. "Did you really used to be an outlaw like it says in the books?"

The question took a second to register in his mind; but when it did, his first response was to take an offense.

"Well of course I was- you know the stories are true." Robin told her, slightly shocked she would ask such a thing. He was a man of honor; there was a time in history when every single person in his village knew his name. His bravery and skilled excellence with his bow had served him well for many years, before he met Regina. After the series of events that took the fragile family to get where they were currently, Robin was perfectly content on putting the days of thievery behind him and becoming what he was best at- being a dad.

Caroline simply shrugged. "Well I know... But I've never seen you do any of that stuff- not even shoot a bow."

The shock continued to linger on his face. She was right; that was completely unacceptable. There was no possible way his daughter- or any of his children- could carry his last name without knowing what all it was worth.

"Sorry lass," came the voice of Killian beside them, "but the only thing your father excels in is feeding the fish every day down at the store."

His intrusion on their seemingly private conversation caused Robin to scowl.

"I don't remember asking you, pirate," he replied sourly, "and we both know I'm the best archer in this town."

By then, he had attracted some unwanted attention from his guests.

"Come again?" Snow demanded, the movie still playing in front of them, "I didn't practice archery for years in the Enchanted Forest for nothing."

A series of groans emitted from everyone still trying to watch the movie.

"Guys, let's focus on the movie," Roland persisted, already irritated with his family's short attention span.

"No, this is fun," Henry countered, "I missed this so much."

In that moment, Caroline knew she had made a mistake by asking a simple question.

Turning towards his wife, Robin drew in a deep breath- this was more than a point to prove to his daughter- this was a question of honor.

"Regina, where's my bow?"

She responded by a raise of an eyebrow and a stifled laugh. "Sweetheart, it broke, remember? Roland used it for the play he was in at the end of third grade."

Caroline caught a curse word under his breath.

"I- I don't need a bow to show you how good of an aim I have," Robin continued, causing Regina to cringe beside him, "I just need a target of some sort. Then you'll see how great your dad is."

Snow gave a small laugh as she reached for the remote, immediately pausing the movie to cut the background sound.

"You know, Locksley, if you need a target, you can always use me. That is, if you can manage to actually hit me."

"Mom!" Emma protested, knowing their night was going nowhere but south.

Her boyfriend put a hand on her shoulder, a devilish smile on his face. "I've been waiting so long for something like this to happen."

"So you'll fight alongside me, then?" Robin asked, causing an upheaval among his family members.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Ruby asked, speaking for a few others in the room.

The outlaw then stood up in his place in front of the television, sending Snow a challenging look. "A snowball fight, that's what. What do you say Regina, will you be on my team?"

Glancing up at him, she formed a wary smile. "I do love you, but there aren't many chances in life where I can pelt you with snowballs."

He quickly shook away the initial shock and turned towards his brother. "Will?"

The man chuckled. "Sure. Why the hell not."

After everyone else got assigned to a side (some where more reluctant than others), they all made their way outside, where the snow was softly falling onto the already existing three to four feet on the ground.

And that was how the chaos had begun.

"Happy to be home?" Regina asked her son sarcastically, short breathed as she slumped behind the barricade of snow.

Henry skillfully avoided two or three snowballs headed in his direction before answering. "Oh yeah. I missed all my overly competitive fairytale family members," he joked, compacting a snowball of his own and chucking it towards his girlfriend on the other side. Grace dodged it successfully, not hesitating to send one right back to him.

"Well you know how your father gets when he's trying to prove a point," she said matter of factly, peeking around the side of the barricade to choose her next available target- Emma.

Gathering snow in her hands, she whipped around and prepared to launch the snowball in her direction, only to receive a blast of frozen rainwater square in the face.

As Regina wiped the snow off her skin, she heard Emma's victorious laugh from the other side of the yard.

"Hey!" She shouted, her natural queen instincts beginning to kick in. Years of her life had been spent conquering her enemies- she may had been a mother, but some things never changed.

Using her magic to enchant her snowball, Regina sent it whizzing in the savior's direction. Emma was quick to form a shield with her hands out in front of her, causing the snowball to disintegrate before her.

"We said no magic!" Robin demanded, pointing an accusing finger towards his wife and traveling it slowly towards the blonde.

Scooping up a quick snowball, Regina threw it towards him in a swift motion, taking pleasure in seeing it explode on his face and hair.

"Okay then, no magic."

She couldn't contain her competitiveness no matter how hard she tried- the game wasn't ending any time soon.

"Roland! I need another snowball!" He demanded, reaching his hand out as if it were the most important thing in the entire universe.

The fifteen year old sighed; his family was so embarrassing. He and his sister were behind their team's barrier, hurriedly making snowball after snowball as Will, Grace, and Robin kept hurdling them in their opponent's direction. Caroline was fine with this- she'd rather be protected by her teammates than pelted with snowballs. Hearing the unfamiliar sound of a crow, she directed her attention to the grey clouded sky, watching the strange black bird circle around them overhead. Her eyes squinted with confusion for a moment as the odd creature quickly flew away, almost as if it knew she were watching it. Though she was memorized for a second or two, Caroline quickly shook the thought out of her head- it was just a stray crow, nothing more.

But the girl was far from right. Once the crow landed on the ground, out of sight, feathers began to fly every witch way, the creature expanding in size and shifting form. Soon, the crow's feet were replaced by a pair of feet trudging in the snow, its wings melting down into arms and a beak withering away into normal facial features. Within seconds, the animal had transformed into an everyday man walking about on a late winter evening.

"I told you to wait in the car," he spoke, lowering his eyes down to a woman crouching behind a snow bank, binoculars in hand, her red hair pulled back into a bun to keep away from her face.

"I got bored," she replied blandly, in a light accent, not bothering to look away from the sight before her.

The man gave her an irritated glance. "Don't you think this is a tad suspicious? I mean you're out in plain sight-"

"I know what I'm doing, monkey," she sighed, lowering the binoculars and setting them down, picking up a clipboard and a pen.

"One more word from you and I'll turn you back into one. And I know you don't want that."

Walsh forced a scowl off his face. He hated how she treated him like a pet; he was the Wizard of Oz for Heaven's sake, not a monkey, not a playtoy, a once noble man who had made a life for himself in the Emerald City. He hated her- despised her, even. How he had wound up with her in another realm was beyond his understanding.

"They're acting like such fools," Zelena muttered, griping under her breath as she analyzed the names scribbled down on the paper. "Now who the hell is the younger blonde one?"

"Her name is Grace- the Mad Hatter's daughter- she's in a relationship with Henry Mills." Walsh replied as she wrote the name down on the next available space.

There were so many of them- it was confusing to her, just as much as the new realm was.

She picked up the binoculars once again, studying each person engaged in the pointless game of throwing balls of snow very closely- the more she knew about them, the more leverage she had against the woman that made her blood boil. An ample amount of time had been spent studying the woman with brunette hair and darkened features; she was her dear baby sister, the notorious evil queen. This was the first time she had seen her in person. Years and years had been spent on watching her as she grew, the pathetic waste of talent, the juvenile girl who had her life handed to her on a silver plate. Just thinking about her made her jaw clench tightly- seeing her in the flesh, rosy cheeked and roughly engaged in a game of child's play... That made the pit of her stomach ignite with a raging fire.

"My lady, you need to find a way to make contact with the girl again. You don't have much time-"

"I know what I'm doing," Zelena challenged, a smug smile on her face as she changed her view, now directed towards the nine year old in a puffy purple coat. "So sweet, so full of innocence," she mused, a delighted laugh escaping from her mouth.

"This is almost too easy."

* * *

**Zelena's back! And yes, I brought Walsh into this story too, because obviously a Wicked Witch needs some sort of sidekick. My inspiration from his character came from Malificent (the Disney movie, not the Once character) so expect to see him in a lot of shapes and forms. We'll see more of them next chapter! **


	5. Liar Liar

**I can't believe we're already on the fifth chapter! Time goes by fast when I update twice a week. Get excited, because this chapter is another Caroline/Zelena one ;) **

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Things had eventually quieted down in the Hood household. It took a good manner of hours for Regina to persuade Robin and Snow to call off their feud; everyone was exhausted, the main cause of their snowball fight becoming blurred. They all called it a night, happy for their bit of fun, going back to their respective houses and immediately drifting off to sleep. It took Robin a good half hour to persuade his daughter to stay in bed, assuring her that her brother would certainly be there when she woke up in the morning. He would be, yes, but Grace wouldn't.

Sometimes it slipped her mind that she wasn't officially a part of their family- though she was treated like one, the college student knew she had a father waiting for her at home.

"Today was the most fun I've had in a long time," Grace smiled, standing in the doorway and retrieving her keys from one of her coat pockets.

Henry grinned. "Yeah, me too. It's great being back home- nothing's changed."

"Guess that means I'll have to come over a lot more often," she teased, "though spending quality time with Regina and your sister is pretty entertaining."

Watching the playfulness shining in her eyes, Henry didn't hesitate to lean forward and capture her lips with his, the sweet taste instantly transporting him back to their high school days, where they would sit in his car after class and simply make out. He loved her just as much as he did back then.

Pulling back for a breath, he took a second to admire her features under the dim porch light. "Can I see you again tomorrow? Maybe... Bring you lunch at work or something?"

He had learned a thing or two about charming a woman from the pirate who dated his mother.

"Yeah, I think so," Grace confirmed, "I'll text you."

As much as she wanted to stay, she knew her papa would start to worry if she didn't return home.

Henry sent her a kind smile. "Alright. Have a good night, Grace."

"You too. But you try having some fun with your family tomorrow, especially your brother."

Rolling his eyes, he watched as the lights to her car flickered. "Of course. Now you drive home safe, okay?"

She chuckled softly. "Okay. Bye, Henry."

"Bye, Gracie."

He didn't realize how cold it actually was outside until after his girlfriend had driven away. Shutting the door gently, Henry made his way up the stairs and towards the room he and Roland still shared, delighted to see his mother had made his bed exactly how she used to.

Roland was already passed out, snoring loudly on his side of the room. But Henry didn't care. A minute later he was snoring peacefully on his bed too.

* * *

It was a Sunday morning. As rambunctious as the family was the precious night, the tradition of last Sunday mornings was still something upheld every week. It was the only day that both Regina and Robin had off work. Nobody, not even Regina was up until after nine.

When she did awake, however, she was surprised to hear the voices of her two sons carry up the stairs and into their bedroom. They were having a conversation about something she couldn't quite pick up, but Regina knew exactly what they were doing- playing a video game.

Everything felt so peaceful, as if nothing had changed. Hearing Roland and Henry share an occasional laugh with each other made her smile.

As much as Regina wanted to stay in bed and enjoy the rare simplicity it was to stay in bed with her husband right beside her, she knew life as a mother went on. Letting Robin continue to sleep, she slipped out of bed and traveled downstairs, where she began a simple breakfast of eggs and toast.

Before she knew it, a couple hours had rolled by; her family eventually migrated towards the kitchen where they ate and talked, not a care in the world as they continued to catch up with one another, sharing stories and telling of adventures. It was nice to have their family whole again.

"Do you think Killian and Will would be up for a few drinks?" Henry proposed to his father, putting his empty plate in the sink.

The sudden question put a smile on Robin's face. "Definitely. They're always up for a few rounds."

It was still odd to his parents that he was past the legal drinking age.

"Just don't do anything stupid," Regina sighed, knowing there was no way she could prevent them from going.

"But Henry," came Caroline's voice, still in her pajamas, "I thought we were going to the park today."

His smile faded slightly as he sensed the dismay in her voice.

"I'm sorry, can we reschedule?" Henry asked, in the upmost sincerity, "we've got time."

Caroline wanted to push it, but she knew her brother wanted to spend time with other people too. So she watched him leave with their father, not knowing when they would both return. After cleaning up the kitchen, Regina made herself a cup of coffee, starting a show on tv and curling up on the couch. It was never something she could do, relaxing, so she was going to make it last for as long as possible. Unfortunately, her daughter didn't share her same mindset.

"Can you take me to the park then?" Caroline asked, boredom already clawing at her insides when she saw what show her mother had decided to put on.

Regina sighed heavily. "Sweetheart, you know this is my only day off. And it's cold outside. Can't you play upstairs for a while?"

She was too old to go upstairs and play. And, besides that, Caroline wanted to do something fun; anything but mope around at the house.

"Can Roland take me?"

"Don't know, why don't you ask him."

And she did, but she was met with a closed bedroom door and loud music playing.

She took that as a no.

So she was back downstairs, facing her mother with the same pleading question.

"Can I go by myself at least?"

Giving her daughter an incredulous look, she thought for a moment before replying. After the incident with her falling at Granny's, Regina was hesitant to send her out into the cold alone. But, seeing how passionate she was over going to the park, Regina couldn't possibly refuse.

"Alright, you can go, but only for an hour," she said, her sternness melting away as she reached her arms out towards her. "But first you have to give me a hug."

She gladly did so.

"Now you stay warm, keep your coat on, and don't go anywhere else. And remember to watch your step- we don't need more holes in our jeans."

"I won't, promise!" Caroline reassured, rushing towards the closet to put on her coat and boots.

Not long after, the nine year old was trudging through the freshly fallen snow, headed towards the park that was fairly close to her house. It was such a nice feeling to breathe in the cool frosted air, the numbness to her cheeks, and the slight warmth her jacket and gloves brought to her. Caroline loved being outside, completely uncaged, seeing the snow decorate the town in a white beauty. Still, she felt lonely.

Maybe because she was.

Henry was too caught up with his friends to have time for her; Roland simply didn't want anything to do with her. Her parents both had demanding jobs that kept them occupied, the same went with her other family members.

Caroline scowled down at the stark white snow as she thought about this. She didn't like to feel so alone.

When she got to the deserted playground, she sat herself down on one of the swings and tried to forget the sad feeling she had inside. The ocean was directly in her view, the wind rushing around her as she swung higher and higher, soaring through the clouds; it was easier than she had expected to forget.

Her mother had been right about keeping warm- after a while, the cold seemed to seep through her protective layers and right to her bones. Soon, that was all she could think about. That was, until the distant view of someone walking out of the woods caught her attention.

Curiosity soon sparked within her as Caroline tried to distinguish who it was, the only person that seemed to be out and about on a Sunday afternoon besides her. For a second or two, the girl was stumped. Then she saw the red hair.

She knew exactly who it was.

Zelena, the woman who had shared her cheesecake with her and aided her with her knee, was walking along one of the paths that winded in and out of the forest. The memory struck her, the conversation they had about magic. Zelena had promised her that she would tell her all about the Enchanted Forest, about magic. That was an offer Caroline couldn't refuse.

Slamming her feet down to the ground to act as breaks, she slowed her swinging down until she could safely jump off. Then the nine year old sped towards the woman's direction, leaving no trace that she was ever at the playground.

"Zelena!" She called out towards her, turning her around as she heard her name being said.

Skidding to a stop, Caroline caught her breath for a moment before letting out a weak hello.

"What are you doing out here?"

"Just at the park," the girl shrugged, "what about you?"

Zelena glanced around the snow covered forest and sighed. "Out for a walk. I find that walking does wonders when trying to clear your head. Your town is quite beautiful."

"You should see it during the summer," Caroline told her, "everything turns green and you can go down to the shoreline to swim."

It was strange to think that the tiny, nonexistent town of Storybrooke was all the girl knew.

"Is... Is your mother here with you?" She asked, keeping the smile on her face as she pictured the image of that vile woman in her head.

Thankfully, Caroline shook her head. "No, she didn't want to come. She said I could be here for an hour."

Her smile broadened. Never once did she think it would be this easy to get the child by herself.

"You said you would tell me more about the Enchanted Forest next time we met," she began again, "can you tell me now?"

In honesty, Zelena hadn't spent much time in that realm; she lived in Oz for most of her years. But that was a topic she was saving for another time.

"Alright then, I'll tell you. You can keep me company on the last half of my walk."

Caroline was more than happy to comply- it didn't occur to her that she had barely met the woman a few days prior. The two of them were side by side, starting down the twisted trail that lead straight into the woods.

"Do they really have ogres?"

Her enthusiasm made Zelena let out a laugh. "How would you know about ogres?"

Sticking her hands into her pockets to keep them warm, Caroline returned her glance back up to her. "My brother Henry has a book. It has a lot of stuff in it- princesses, dragons, knights, an evil queen..."

Zelena stopped paying attention after she heard evil queen, a questioning look on her face.

"What do you know about the evil queen?" She challenged, desiring to know what the naïve little girl knew about the subject.

The question threw her off guard for a moment as she thought of something. "Well, her mother forced her to become queen, and because she was angry, she did some bad things. But then she met her soulmate and she learned how to be good. Then... She became my mom, I guess."

The red-haired woman was so caught up in her thoughts, she almost forgot to look interested in what she was saying.

If only she knew the truth.

Inside, she wanted to pin her roughly against one of the trees and shout at her, telling her that her mother was an ungrateful little bitch who stole everything that was rightfully hers; she wanted to do this until she broke down and cried, pleading with her stop... She could so very easily crush her small body with her magic...

"Did you know the evil queen at all?"

Zelena had to blink a few times when she heard the small voice pop up against her own ranging thoughts. "What was that?"

"I said, did you know the evil queen before she became good," the girl repeated.

Forcing another smile, Zelena shook her head. "No, I didn't."

"Wow! Your necklace is glowing! That's so cool!" Caroline suddenly proclaimed, noticing the green magic swirl in the pendant she wore around her neck.

Clutching the necklace with her hand, Zelena was able to quickly settle down the harrowing magic within. "It harbors my magic,"

She explained, trying to calm herself down, "it's what keeps it safe."

It would take her less than a second to snap the girl's neck. But she needed the power she possessed, and to do that, and needed Caroline alive.

"Wow," she exhaled, "so you can use magic anywhere you go in the Enchanted Forest?"

Their walk was soon becoming agonizingly unbearable.

"Yes, anywhere you go. It's a skill that takes lots of practice, though."  
"If I had magic, I wouldn't have to worry about any of my problems," Caroline smiled.

_Lies_. The girl beside her had endured though nine years of lies.

Luckily, they had arrived at the small clearing at the end of the forest then, saving Zelena from coming up with a response. In front of them stood a farm house that looked seemingly deserted.

"You live here?" Caroline asked, astonishment in her voice, "nobody's lived there for years!"

"Well, I do now," the woman responded nonchalantly, growing tired of the fake smiles and pretended interest.

Her response was soon interrupted by the sound of a yapping dog; seconds later, a small black terrier came bounding up to them.

"You have a dog too?"

Her enthusiasm only grew as she fell to her knees and began to pet the excited animal.

Zelena rolled her eyes as she watched the dog roll around on its back.

"What's his name?"

She sighed irritably- he was supposed to be her apprentice, not some drooling lapdog.

"Walsh."

"That's a funny name for a dog," Caroline replied, giggling when the terrier licked her face. "But I should probably go home now so I'm not late. When can we talk more?"

Zelena smiled smugly. "I'm positive we'll end up bumping into one another soon. Are you sure you know your way back okay?"

Nodding, the girl stood up and wiped her face. "I've been through the forest about a hundred times, I know how to get back home."

"You be careful," she told her, "these woods can be more terrifying than you may think."

With that being said, Caroline started on her way back home, leaving Zelena alone with the yapping black dog. It only took a glare to shut him up. Bending down, she snatched the creature by the scruff of its neck, heading towards the house.

"We've got a lot of work to be getting on with," she said, showing her first genuine smile that day.

The reign of innocence was coming to an end; lies wouldn't keep Regina's family together forever.

* * *

**I thought I'd throw in Toto for a bit of fun. What intentions do you guys think Zelena has for Caroline? Is it just to hurt Regina, or is it something more? Next chapter we'll see a tiny glimpse of her plan as well as a new character I think you guys will like. See you all Monday! **


	6. Striking a Deal

**So, as I said earlier, we're meeting another character in this chapter. I think you guys will like her too ;) **

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**~The Land of Oz, two weeks prior~**

For the third time that week, she had woken up with a blaring headache and a dazed memory. Her hair had come undone during the events of the precious night; she was exhausted, unmotivated, and frankly, unhappy.

That was the problem with alcohol- it worked for a while to numb the anger, all the pain, but it always wore off. Every time she awoke after excessive drinking, Zelena felt the loneliness return, a reminder that she had absolutely nothing but her own rage to fuel her ambitions. The pain worsened with every time too, the same bitter phrase crossing her mind as she stared blackly up at the grand emerald ceiling- it's just not fair.

Clothes scattered across the floor of her bedroom as midmorning sunlight drifted in through one of the windows, letting in an unwanted light. Walsh, the previous ruler of Oz, had been in her control for years- quite honestly she had forgotten just how many; the years seemed to mix together. With her magic, Zelena could make him do whatever she needed him to do, or rather, be whatever she needed him to be.

She allowed him to touch her whenever she wanted, mostly just when her level of loneliness sunk desperately low. Sure it felt good at the time, but like the alcohol, it only left her with a larger void in her heart than before.

Laying on her bed during mornings like these caused her mind to wander, sometimes back to those childish thoughts she always thoroughly contained; what it would be like for her if she were born with the life she had deserved.

"Do you want me to make breakfast?" Walsh asked, his voice thick with sleep.

Zelena didn't move from her position- she didn't feel like doing anything, especially begin another pointless day. They never did anything interesting, anyways, just creating more potions that never ended up being of any relevance. The magical looking glass she had used for many years wasn't of any relevance to her anymore; ever since her dear sister cast the curse, she could no longer track her whereabouts. And that, of course, only made her blood boil even more.

Feeling his lips at the nape of her neck, Zelena instinctively pushed him away and sat up.

"I don't care what you make, as long as you get me something for my head." She grumbled, holding the bedsheet up against her chest, "how much did I drink last night?"

Searching for his clothes, Walsh smirked with his back towards her. "More than usual. You don't remember?"

Zelena let out another moan. She felt absolutely terrible; nothing seemed pleasing to her anymore.

"Not much," she replied soddenly, "but if you don't hurry up with that medication, I'll turn you into a toad."

Her threat caused a scowl to form on the man's face as he got up and started for the front room. As he walked through the halls, Walsh's heart sank once again when he remembered the time before the wicked witch had ruined his life entirely, when he, an average, everyday man, had constructed the palace himself. He remembered the days of power, though nobody truly knew who he was, he was able to give aid to the people of Oz. And, just like that, it was all gone. Zelena had complete control over him, her magic able to transform into any cruel creature of her desire. He truly hated her; she was the most vile woman he had ever encountered.

It was pure torture passing through the shelves of potions, knowing very well that so many of them could be used to end Zelena's life. But he just couldn't do it- so many years had gone by; Walsh had forgotten who he was.

Finally spotting the elixir he needed, he found a cup and poured the liquid into it, filling the cup until it was full before setting it down in its spot amongst the others. She drank more and more frequently as the days went on.

Zelena was more than happy to rid the pounding in her head, though the relief wasn't immediate like she would've liked it to be. Grudgingly putting on a white blouse and a black skirt, she pulled her hair back into a bun and exited the bedroom.

She rather despised the castle she won over when she took control of Walsh; it was entirely boring to her, the countless rows or magical experiments that lined the shelves only served as a pitiful reminder on how much of a failure she was. All she needed was a way to travel back in time, that was what she had wanted all along. But nothing worked, Zelena was faced with the same result of failure every time. Nobody knew how to do it either; she had traveled to the Enchanted Forest many times in search of someone with the knowledge and power needed to fulfill her desire. Every time, however, she was faced with the same answer.

It simply couldn't happen. It defied the laws of magic.

Out of everything (and everyone) she despised, the one thing Zelena absolutely hated the most was the fact that limitations existed.

"All these experiments are useless," she griped to herself, tempted to use her magic to destroy everything in her path as she had done many times before. Walsh hated when she threw fits, but seeing things break always made her feel better.

"Why do you constantly make these potions anyway?" Zelena demanded further, grabbing the first glass bottle her hand could find and glancing into its contents. "They're nothing but useless."

Seeing the anger flare across her blue eyes, Walsh was quick to snatch it from her grip before it ended up as a mess of glass shards.

"Well, this one is special," he began, in pursuit of calming her down, "this is magic extracted from a powerful sorceress long ago- the Ice Queen."

Much to his relief, the rage had passed. "Ice Queen? I haven't heard her name in years," Zelena said, turning her attention back towards the pale colored liquid inside the vile, "she was quite powerful, wasn't she?"

Walsh had her full attention- that almost never happened. The delight of doing so made a smile form on his lips. "Still is, actually. Rumor has it that Rumplestiltskin has her locked up in a secret cell somewhere in his castle."

Scoffing a laugh, she shook her head. "Doesn't surprise me. That bastard has too many tricks up his sleeve." Suddenly, a thought sparked its way into her mind. "Does that mean she's still there then, in this secret cell of his? Unless she automatically traveled to this new realm Regina sent everyone to with the curse, she should be there."

Walsh shrugged. "Yeah, I'm sure it's possible." He then paused for a moment, reading the incredulous look on her face, knowing exactly what she was thinking about.

"But, my lady, you don't know why Rumple trapped her in there in the first place. She could be incredibly volatile-"

"Oh, of course she will be," Zelena cut him off, "you're not talking me out of this. Don't you see? It's so simple- I can use the shoes to travel there so I can see what she knows about time travel. If she has what I need, I can set her free, and perhaps we can strike some sort of deal."

"But there will be a price for letting her loose," Walsh threatened, "everything could turn into complete madness."

She responded by sending him a wicked smile. "That's the fun of it, my dear."

There was no stopping her now, he knew that very well. Starting for her pair of silver slippers in the corner of the room, Walsh set down the potion and sighed. "So, what, I'm just supposed to sit here and wait for you to return?"

Zelena smirked, putting on the shoes and giving him a pitiful look. "I'll be back for you, don't worry."

Then, with a dual click of her heels, she vanished into thin air.

* * *

When she opened her eyes, Zelena wasn't sure where she was. After years of transporting back and forth to the Enchanted Forest, she knew how the shoes worked- all she had to do was think about the place or person she wanted, and that was it. The room was dimly lit and had a gloomy feel to it; obviously it had been abandoned for many years. Walsh had been right about the room being a prison. She could feel her magic feel compressed inside of her.

As she walked around, Zelena found herself becoming distracted in the other hidden relics stowed away in the castaway room- Rumple was certainly a man who possessed many secrets.

Glancing around the area for a brief moment quickly told her that the Ice Queen she was in search for wasn't going to be in human form. It was going to take more than she thought to find her. So, she did what she knew best, and used a locator spell. When her magic lead her to an old brass urn, however, Zelena became confused. The most powerful sorceress of the land certainly couldn't have been housed in an oversized drinking cup. She could feel the concentrated magic radiate off the metal as she took hold of the handles, the blue liquid inside shimmering in a very unnatural way. Taking a deep breath, Zelena firmly held her arms as far away from her as possible, dumping the urn upside down and watching the blue liquid splash out and onto the floor. She watched in slight amazement (while keeping her composure) as the liquid began to rise, taking on the form of a human. Her blonde hair was tucked into a braid that ended at her shoulder, a regal blue dress hugging in all the right places. The woman seemed confused at first, but her eyes quickly diverted from her surroundings to fixate on the red haired woman before her.

"You did this?" She asked, giving her a suspicious look, "who are you? Why are you here?"

Zelena gave her a small smile, enough to tell her she wasn't a threat while obtaining her some dominance in the encounter. "I'm Zelena," she began, "from the Land of Oz. I came to ask a few questions."

The Ice Queen crossed her arms. "I've heard about you before, the notorious Wicked Witch of the West," she mused, wondering just how long she had been trapped inside that urn for, "you're saying you came all this way just to ask me a few questions? Rumplestiltskin has this place under thousands of protection spells. How did you get here?"

Zelena gestured down towards her silver shoes. "I can travel anywhere I want with these. Well, within a certain distance. Some realms are just too far away."

Though she seemed impressed with the idea of magical transporting shoes, she knew those shoes didn't have enough power for the both of them to escape the prison.

"Rumple will know you're here," she threatened, "he always knows everything that happens within his castle."

Zelena's smile turned devious. "Of course he would know... Problem is, he isn't here. He, like most everyone else in this realm, was sent to a land without magic just about forty years ago. The Evil Queen cast her curse."

He may have been gone, but the spells preventing her from leaving were still very much in tact.

"Huh," she muttered, "well I won't be too keen on answering any questions you have for me, unless it involves getting me out of this damned place."

"It very well could," Zelena reassured, "let's just talk things through for a bit. Now," she then prepared herself for the question she was about to ask, knowing it would determine whether or not her life would continue on the same excruciating path it was currently taking. "Do you possess the necessary tools to create a portal that can be used for time travel?"

The ice queen smiled proudly. "Yes, in my old castle I do. Where I'm from, Arendale, we have advanced magical studies. What makes you think I'll just give it up for your unknown cause?"

The answer made Zelena's heart trill with excitement- this was her shot at her dream coming true.

"Because I can give you what you want, what everyone wants, really. Power."

The Ice Queen quickly formulated a plan inside of her head- perhaps this Wicked Witch could give her everything she desired.

"I don't just want power," she began, raising her chin a tad higher, "I want the strongest power out there. One that will allow me to rule effortlessly over this realm, as well as many others."

Zelena gave her a smug look. "And what type of power is that?"

"True love," she replied, "a product of true love will give me everything I need. It is extremely rare for a child to be born of true love, but not impossible. If you bring me a child born of true love, I will give you my means of time travel- a resilient heart, true courage, and a brain."

She thought about her proposition for a moment. "Isn't Snow White and Prince Charming's child the product of true love?"

Elsa responded by bending down and picking up the urn that had held her prisoner for those forty years, using her magic to fill it with water, enchanting it to form an image on the surface. Zelena curiously watched as her expression began to shift while glancing down at the urn.

"Yes, Emma Swan is a product of true love," she began, "but she's a grown woman. You could very well kidnap her, but it would be difficult- she has a very large family of very powerful people."

"Are you suggesting I have another option, then?"

Her words hung in the distance between the two women as Elsa continued to look into the urn. Then, surprisingly, an amused smile swept across her face.

"Well; this is certainly a surprise."

Zelena scowled. "What?"

She let out a small chuckle as she once again faced her. "Turns out there is another child born of true love, living in the same realm- one that shares your bloodline."

Zelena's eyes widened. "No... That must be a mistake."

"Do you have any immediate family members?"

She cast her eyes downward, her head swimming with confusion as she spoke the name she dreaded, the name that left a bitter taste in her mouth. "Regina. The Evil Queen... She's my half sister."

Elsa's smile continued to show, amazed at what she was hearing. "Your sister is... Queen Regina? This just keeps getting more and more amusing."

Zelena's scowl deepened, her eyes flashing with anger. "If you're suggesting that Regina has a child born of true love, you're wrong. There is no way in hell that my sister would ever have true love, let alone have a child. It's- it's probably just some bastard-"

"You can deny it all you want, but magic doesn't lie. Regina has a child born of true love; she's young, too. It doesn't matter how it happened, but it did."

Sounds like Regina, Zelena thought to herself, desperately trying to reassure herself, she probably used some spell to give her child special powers.

"So you're saying that I need to bring my own niece back to you in order for you to extract her powers and become all powerful? What about Regina?"

Elsa smirked. "I don't care what you do with her, as long as you bring that child to me."

A rush of pure joy soared through her body. Could it be true, could she achieve everything she ever dreamed of? Abducting her child would certainly bring pain to her dear sister. And, after that, she would finally get to do what she had desired for countless years- time travel. A fresh start. The life she deserved.

"Alright," Zelena announced, a delightful smile on her face, "I'll do it. I'll bring you the child in exchange for time travel. You have my word."

Elsa was happy to hear it. "As you have mine. Though, this isn't the idea situation for me. Since I cannot escape this prison, why don't I just give you the things nessecary for time travel right now. That way, when you get a hold of the child, you can find me here in the Enchanted Forest, at a time before I was trapped here- forty years ago."

A cloud of misty blue magic appeared before her, causing a wrapped package to appear in her hands.

"Just open it when you're ready- it'll create a portal." She explained, brushing her open palm over the top of the bundle with her free hand, placing another spell upon it.

"And, in case you get any ideas, it will only allow you to travel back forty years ago. Once you present me with the child, I'll remove the spell so you can use it to your desire."

Presenting the package to her, Zelena gratefully accepted it.

"How will you remember this conversation in the past?"

Elsa simply took her earrings off one by one and handed them to her. "Just show me these. I'll remember everything."

"And where will I know where exactly to find you?"

Remembering the fond memory, the Ice Queen smiled. "I'll be living in my ice castle- shouldn't be that hard to find."

Zelena took a moment to collect her thoughts, sorting out the mission she had just been issued. It all seemed so perfect.

"So, where am I going?" She asked, "where has my sister sent everyone due to her dark curse?"

"Storybrooke, Maine. A land that has recently obtained magic."

A slight relief came over her when she heard this- magic was now involved, meaning Regina didn't stand a chance. "Alright, then. I'll be off to Storybrooke, Maine in search for a niece I didn't know I had, a child that possesses the strongest power imaginable," she explained, mostly to herself for the self satisfaction.

"And you be quick about it," Elsa added, "I can't take another minute of living in this horrible place."

Holding the earrings and the package containing the power of a time travel portal in hand, Zelena gave her new partner another sly look. "And what exactly did you do to get you locked in here for eternity?"

Even she knew no ordinary person was capable of angering Rumplestiltskin that much.

Elsa simply smiled. "That's a story for another time. I'd like to know why you care so much about changing the past, as well."

"You're exactly right," Zelena told her, "we'll save that for another time."

She couldn't wait to return to Walsh and tell him everything that had happened.

With another click of her heels, she traveled back to her Emerald City castle, her heart set on Storybrooke. She would finally be able to carry out the plan she had desired since the day of her birth.

One that would give her the _second chance_ she was entitled to.

* * *

**I know that was probably a lot to take in, but what do you guys think? Will Zelena succeed in taking Caroline away from her parents? Will Elsa become powerful enough to take over the Enchanted Forest, and possibly Storybrooke? What will she do to hurt Regina? You'll find out eventually... **


	7. The Teenage Life

**Guys, I apologize for not having a chapter ready Friday! A new school year and a new job means a whole lot less free time haha. I wanted to give Roland a little more time in the spotlight, so this chapter has a lot of him and his friends, as well as his sister. Hope you're all having a happy Monday! **

* * *

Storybrooke High was certainly a unique school to attend. Not that any of the students knew any better; it was just hard to life a normal life when every single person knew one another. It was especially hard when everyone knew Roland's mother ruled over the town- that was something that stayed on the fifteen year old like a stamp on his forehead. There was a certain level of greatness he was ordered to carry around with him everywhere he went; when he fell below that standard, it seemed the whole school knew about it.

"I can't believe you failed that test," his best friend, Alex Boyd, stated with a smirk. "Your Mom is going to kill you."

Slinging his backpack across his shoulders, Roland sighed. "I didn't fail it, I just..."

"Didn't pass? Anything below a seventy is failing," Alex said, continuing to give him a hard time as they exited the class.

Roland gave her a lopsided smile as he nudged her from her side. "Who cares, I can talk myself out of any sort of punishment my parents have for me."

"What'd you do this time?" A voice came from behind the two friends, one that belonged to a lean, cocky redheaded boy with a face spotted with acne.

He opened the door for them, finally getting out of the school and back outside. They were homeward bound, so tired and exhausted after another day in high school.

"I failed a test in world history, so Alex thinks I'm doomed for life."

Both of his friends exchanged glances with one another and laughed.

"Dude, you're screwed." August said, patting him on the back as they started down the sidewalk.

Roland rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks guys."

Alex and August had been his best friends since they were first placed in school. August was two years older than them, but he still managed to spend most of his time right by their side.

"Hey, wait, don't you have to pick up Caroline today?" Alex asked suddenly, noticing just then that he didn't have to stay for baseball practice.

Roland tonight for a moment, remembering he had to, cringing inside because he really didn't want to do it.

"She can walk herself," he concluded, his laziness winning over, "she's old enough."

Alex gave him a look, reminding herself that her best friends were teenage boys.

"Come on, you know she hates walking by herself!"

"Well, she needs to grow up!"

Letting out a groan, she forced Roland to a stop and turned him around, August finding amusement in the show in front of him. Reluctantly, they walked back to the deserted school, finding the fourth grade classroom on the other side of the building. In normal circumstances, Roland went directly from his last period to the baseball field, where he would stay for another two hours. And since he didn't have his drivers license yet, he either had to walk everywhere or be faced with having a relative drive him. That's what he hated most about being fifteen; the freedom was so close, he could almost taste it.

"You're late again," Caroline muttered, seeing her brother walk through the door almost twenty minutes after the last bell had gone off. She was worried she would have to stay for another half hour and wait for Snow to get out of her meeting in order to take her home.

"I remembered though, didn't I?"

His sister responded with a huff, grabbing her backpack and following them out of the empty room.

They continued on their way outside for the second time, more than ready to go back home.

"I thought you had your motorcycle," Caroline stated towards August.

The seventeen year old gave a sigh. "I do, but the transmission needed to be fixed, so it's in the shop for a couple of days."

She wished Roland could drive her to and from school; walking was always a pain. Never in a million years would their mother let him have a motorcycle, though.

"Well it better be fixed in a couple of days," she began slyly, "you know what's happening next week, right?"

Both Alex and August knew exactly what was happening next week.

"Could it be that someone is turning ten?" Alex asked ambiguously, watching the girl's face light up.

"Yes! Mom is helping me make invitations to pass out soon. Do you guys want me to give you one?"

Before either of them could reply, Roland interjected. "But they already know about it; they're gonna come if you give them an invitation or not."

Once again, Alex scowled. It bothered her how cold he was to his little sister. "I always love getting them," she counteracted, resulting in a victorious smile from Caroline.

"I also expect great presents from you both," she added, "it has to be a surprise."

They then rounded a corner, turning onto the street their large white house resided on.

"Tough luck kid, surprises are hard to come by in a town like this," August said, lowering her spirits lightly, "not when everyone knows each other like the back of their hand. Doesn't mean I won't try, though."

Caroline gave him a long, lingering look before answering. Of course she knew this; but half of her wanted to believe that some things were still unknown.

"I want my party to be the best party in the world," she stated, just as they began down the skinny walkway up to their front door. "Are you two staying over?"

Shrugging, Alex walked through the door Roland held open for her. "I don't have anything else to do."

"Yeah, me too," August said, "my dad doesn't need me to help out at the shop, for once."

They had been over to Roland's vast two story house so much, it was practically their second home. The fact that it was also Mayor Mills's house easily slipped their mind.

"Mom, do you have any snacks?" The fifteen year old asked immediately upon entering the house. Regina went through this routine just about every day; she had about thirty minutes of time to herself when she got home from work, and those thirty minutes were always filled with peace and quiet before her two children came home. This week was different, though, because Henry was with her. They had become lost in a conversation, making it so Regina had nothing to feed her hungry kids.

"Sorry, I lost track of time," she said, giving an apologetic glance to Roland and his friends, "but I can make something quick if you guys don't mind waiting."

Of course the news wasn't the best to hear, but at least he was home.

"We can find something to do," Alex said, "nice to see you by the way Regina."

She smiled. "You too, dear."

"Hey Henry, it's been forever since I've seen you!" August said, noticing him in the living room. "We have so much to talk about after we get out of the movies."

Putting her backpack down, Caroline's attention was quickly grabbed by his last sentence. "Movies? What movie?"

"I don't think it'll be one you'd want to see," Alex told her as nicely as she could, "it's about a bunch of space people that come together to stop an evil guy from taking over the galaxy."

She was right, it was totally something she wouldn't want to see. But, being as stubborn as she was, Caroline wasn't letting go that easy.

"I like space movies," she lied, putting her hands on her hips and looking her brother's friend square in the face. "Can I come?"

Knowing the question was coming, Roland simply groaned. "Caroline, you're not following us everywhere. You gotta let us have our space."

Regina's face scowled when she heard this, seeing her daughter's excitement die out like the flame on a candle. "Be nice to your sister," she ordered, "you two are supposed to be working on getting along better, remember?"

The last thing Roland wanted was a lecture from his mother in front of his friends. Thankfully, she relieved the tension. "But I don't want you seeing a movie like that sweetheart."

Her nine year old gave her a challenging look, but she knew better than to argue with what she had to say.

"Hey, you can hang out with me today," Henry offered, "I've got some time before I have to help Killian with his truck."

Maybe they were right, Caroline thought to herself, maybe her family wanted to spend some time with her after all. Feeling like nobody wanted to spend time with her was the worst feeling in the world- it was good to know that her family came through when she needed them most.

* * *

**Now that Zelena's plan is revealed, the only question now is, how long will it be until Robin and Regina find out? **


	8. Party Planning

**So I survived my first week as a senior! The only problem is, now I have next to no time for writing. There's no way I'll give up writing this, though. I'll try my absolute hardest to get two chapters a week done for you guys! I thought this chapter needed a bit of mother daughter bonding time :) **

* * *

It sounded absolutely formidable, but Caroline secretly couldn't wait until she got to talk with Zelena again. She was so interesting to talk to; in such an uninteresting town, that was saying something. Zelena was also quite odd... There was something off about her. A woman with hair red as fire and a quaint accent that lived in the middle of the forest with her black dog named Walsh- even Caroline and her nine years of life experience knew something was odd about that.

Her time spent with her oldest brother had been fun, but it was always short lived. They had played her favorite board game for a little bit, after Roland and his friends went to the movies. It was a lot of fun to have the old relationship they shared- just the two of them. After Killian called and requested his help, however, Henry was forced to cut the game short and head over to he and Emma's apartment over at Granny's. He offered Caroline the choice of coming with him, but she knew that would mean hanging out at the apartment by herself since Emma was still at work. She supposed she could see if Ruby or Granny weren't too busy while stationed at their jobs, but the nine year old simply didn't feel like it.

Instead, she got out her box of paper and glue sticks and sat herself down at the table, beginning to continue her work on the invitations she needed to pass out for her party. Doing invitations yearly was something Caroline enjoyed doing- she could use her creativity and enjoy herself while doing so. Even though most of her guests consisted of her family, she still made invitations. As far as school friends went, the pickings were very slim. Her mother made it a rule to invite all four of her classmates every year, even if she didn't necessarily like them.

Three of the four students in her fourth grade class had formed a tight friendship with one another- Cody Briar, a sports addicted kid with a loud mouth on him, Rachel Anderson, a girl who sang too much for her own good, and Elyse Myers, who could start lies about anyone in the school with a snap of her fingers. The fourth girl her age was different- for many years, she and Caroline had been the best of friends. They did everything together; Lucy Douglass had been in her life ever since she learned how to talk. Then, at the beginning of the school year, Lucy met a boy- two grades higher than them- that she thought was the cutest boy in the entire town. Soon, he was all she could ever talk about, and that began to bore Caroline to no extent. She had absolutely no interest in boys, for the ones she lived with and the family members she had known far too well. So, in technical terms, they were still best friends- but there was certainly a rift between them that kept on widening.

Caroline certainly wasn't about to invite Lucy's guy friend, no matter how much she wanted her to. It was her party, and it was going to be the best one she ever had. Turning ten was a huge deal.

"How's it going?" Her mother asked, her voice bringing her attention back down to earth, "need some help?"

With her attention averted, Caroline smiled as she sat down next to her. Of course she wanted her help- but she also knew her mother had a fairly big project to finish for her work. Quite honestly, the nine year old was still getting used to her mother being so busy. Until the last year, Regina had stayed home for Caroline, to be there for her and her two boys as they grew up and got older. But Belle, the previous mayor, wanted to spend more time with Rumple after their marriage, and suggested Regina to take her place.

"Granny told your father and I that it was okay to have the party at the diner."

Caroline smiled. "That's better than having it at the house I guess. Can we get tons of balloons like last year?"

Taking an invitation from the box they were in, Regina looked it over, a smile spreading over her face as she read her daughter's handwriting.

"You're going to be ten," she marveled suddenly, "that's double digits! How have you gotten this old?"

As she looked at her, Regina could only see the little girl she used to hold in her arms, with her dark brown tresses and her sweet laugh. Time had passed by so quickly; she was getting to the point where they stopped making cute clothes in her size.

Sometimes it was hard to believe Caroline Grace was the tiny little baby she held for the first time at the diner, though, one thing was still the same- the pair of turquoise earrings.

* * *

**Remember the earrings from We Can Love Again? Yeah, that can come in handy later on...**


	9. Not So Little Prince

**So I thought I'd have a little fun with this chapter and add more Hace, along with something we all love- angry momma Regina ;) **

* * *

It was fairly quiet around the house until Roland came back. Caroline had the roadblock of figuring out her math homework, with the help of her father. Through the outside window, she could see that the sun was going down- her brother had been gone with his friends for over three hours. Granted, she knew they probably were taking August's beaten up Jeep, but still- her parents would be mad. It was a school night after all.

And they were. As soon as Roland came through the front door at nine in the evening, Robin and Regina were onto him instantly. Caroline decided to stay back and finish her homework- she had seen her brother get in trouble far too many times for it to be an unnatural thing.

"We told you to be back as soon as the movie was over," Regina said firmly, her hands placed on her hips and Robin's arm around her shoulders.

Roland gulped. "I know, but then Alex's mom invited us to stay over for dinner and I couldn't be rude-"

"You're forgetting that you're fifteen, and we need to know where you are."  
Inside, he rolled his eyes. Storybrooke was a pathetically small town he had grown up in- nothing bad was going to happen. He knew everyone and everyone knew him.

Sometimes it was difficult to believe that he had once lived in the Enchanted Forest, being born to a mother that had remained a blank spot in the back of his mind.

"I was just having fun with my friends," he muttered, "I'm sorry."

It was clear that Robin was once again taking Regina's side, knowing to be careful when crossing her in heated situations like this.

"No, sorry isn't going to get you by again," she told him, knowing he still had homework he hadn't been able to finish, "you can't just go around and do whatever you want without us knowing- you're grounded for two weeks."

Roland's mouth opened in shock. "What? Mom, you never grounded Henry for being out late!"

It was Robin's turn to intervene. "Don't you dare brother into this. You need to learn that rules are rules-"

"Oh come on, you never punished him! He would be out for hours, and he would come home to dinner and a bunch of hugs!" Roland dropped his backpack to the floor, realizing he was getting out of hand. But he couldn't help it- the feelings inside had to break out at some point. His blood was surging, mind racing, heart racking against his chest as the words continued to spill out.

"You babied him, you treated him like a perfect human being because he's special. Well I know him a lot better than you guys do, and he's not as perfect as you think he is."

"How dare you bring your older brother into this! Roland, he's in college doing great things with his life, you'll get there someday too-"

Roland refused to listen to her any longer. Henry didn't only have one mother, he had two, the son of both the savior born of true love and the infamous queen who changed so heroically to a life of family and love. His father was Belfire, son of the great Dark One himself. He was a part of them, intertwined into their happy little family tree. Who was he then? A dumb kid who didn't know who his real mother was.

"Stop it! Just stop it! Henry is a jerk, he's- he's a lair, he lies to you all the time."

Roland couldn't help it, he really couldn't; the words tumbled out of his mouth before he could catch himself. "He's had sex with Grace- in this house, in our room. Doesn't sound perfect to me."

Regina's eyes widened substantially, not sure if she had heard him right.

"What?"

There was no way he could take back what he had said, so Roland figured there was no sense in turning back. "Henry told me. He even kept his condoms underneath his bed."

There was suddenly a sour taste in her mouth as she comprehended what he was saying. Regina had quickly forgotten about giving a punishment to her son.

"Oh my god," she muttered, glancing towards Robin before turning around and starting up the stairs. As he watched her ascend the staircase, he groaned. "Do you realize what you just did?"

Roland couldn't say a word in reply. He was still angry for one, and he knew Henry was going to murder him alive when he found out. So he pushed past his father with a scowl on his face, figuring there was nothing left to say. At least there was a comfort to knowing that their mother would murder Henry before he had a chance to kill him.

Regina thought she was going to be sick as she rushed into the boys' room, her body beginning to numb as she repeatedly rejected the words Roland put into her mind. Her knees fell to the carpet as she leaned forward, blindly searching underneath Henry's bed until she felt the broken plastic wrapper with her fingers. She almost burst into tears right then and there. For in her hand lay clutched three empty packs of Trojans- Roland was right.

Her breathing was heavy and unrhythmic as she sat up on the carpet floor, pathetically trying stop herself from crying. She didn't know what she was going to do; everything in her life had been suddenly been tossed around in a twister, leaving her scatterbrained. Regina didn't like surprises.

Rushing back down the staircase, she was soon caught in her husband's arms as he attempted to reason things out with her.

"Let's wait until he comes back to talk things out," Robin said, knowing her course of action would include confronting the couple at the fastest possible second.

Attempting to squirm herself out of his grasp, Regina held the torn blue packages so they were in his sight. "Are you not upset about this?

"Of course I am- he's my son. But a calm conversation with them both sounds a lot more reasonable-"

"How many years have you been married to me?" She asked rhetorically, her free hand moving across his chest behind her, finding the tender spot between two of his ribs and pressing. Robin instantly let go of her as he cringed, allowing Regina access to her keys.

"I don't do reasonable."

* * *

About ten minutes later, Regina was on the slush covered road, searching the streets left and right for any signs of Grace. She knew the girl's schedule, so it was just a matter of time before she would be heading home after work. As luck would have it, the blonde was soon spotted exiting the general store, a bag of groceries in her arms. It didn't take Regina long to park and march straight towards her.

"Oh, hi Regina," Grace spoke when she saw her, her friendly smile quickly demolishing when she saw the condom wrappers clutched in her hand. She said a quick but fervent prayer in her heart.

"What... What are you doing here?"

The former queen seemed as flustered as ever. "No, the question is, what have you been doing with my son?" She demanded, not sure if she should yell at her or burst into tears.

Grace swallowed hard as she tried to form an answer in her mind- she knew this would happen sooner or later. "Well, uh, Henry and I both agreed that we were both mature enough to further our relationship-"

"You need to take this," Regina said, cutting her off sharply and holding up a square cardboard box.

The college student's terror continued to show though. "A pregnancy test? I'm not pregnant, Regina."

"You don't know that!" She shouted back at her, grabbing hold of her bag of groceries and dropping it to the ground and out of the way, "you've had sex with my son! I could become a grandmother for Christ's sake!"

Her face was now the color of a tomato. "Look, I would know if I was right now- Regina... I'm sorry we kept it from you. But we're twenty two, we're old enough to make our own decisions." She said, as calmly and nicely as she could.

Letting the test fall from her hand and drop to the ground, Regina closed her eyes and sniffed a couple of times, tears slipping down her cheeks as she stood there pathetically in the middle of the sidewalk for everyone to see.

"Hey, it's okay..." Grace said, stepping forward and embracing the woman in a tight hug.

"He's- he's my baby..." She said, forcing back a sob.

And he will always be! He's just... Growing up."

That made Regina cry even harder; she was squeezing Grace so tightly the poor girl could hardly breathe.

"But I don't want him to grow up! Grace, the world is a scary place! It- it takes innocence and destroys it. And Henry is out there, on the other side of the town line..."

"I know, I know," she soothed, pulling back to look her in the face. "You've raised him so well. He's strong enough to survive out there- deep down, you know that. You also know that I love him so much, and I only want the best for him. You just have to trust that we can make our own decisions."

Regina tried to control her crying, nodding faintly. "I love you too, sweetheart. I want the best for both of you."

They hugged again, this time more gently.

Out of his truck window, (David let him drive his rusty old pickup while he was visiting) Henry saw something he sure wasn't expecting. His mother was hugging his girlfriend in broad daylight. Pulling his truck to the side, he got out and began towards them. When he saw the blue condom wrappers in his mother's hand, however, Henry stopped dead in his tracks. Grace gave him a warning look that revealed it all, but it was already too late. Regina turned around and wiped her tears with the back of her hand, walking towards her son with open arms.

Henry was almost a full six inches taller than him, his arms were strong, yet his heart remained the same- good, true, and full of belief.

"Are... You okay Mom?" He asked, not knowing what to expect. He and Grace always said that the day his mother found out about the condoms would be the day they both died- now that it was happening, he didn't know what to expect.

"Yeah, I'm okay," Regina said softly, letting him hold her, "just... Promise me you'll always be my prince, even if you're not so little anymore."

That made the corners of Henry's mouth turn up into a delicate smile.

"Of course, Mom. I'll always be your prince."

* * *

**What'd you guys think? I know thinking about Henry and Roland being ten years older is still a lot to get used to, but they're so interesting to write! Caroline's birthday is coming up soon, along with more of Zelena and her wicked plan.. **

**Let me just say that all the reviews and follows I've gotten so far literally make me the happiest person alive. You guys are so great. Keep it up, I love feedback! **


	10. Cracks in the Glass

**Wow, ten chapters already? Time has gone by so fast! By the time chapter 20 hits, so many things will have happened. **

**This chapter pretty much picks up where the last chapter left off- the awkwardness continues with Grace and Henry ;) **

* * *

The ride back to the house was quite possibly the most awkward thing he had ever been through in his life. Henry drove Grace back home, in a hopeful silent apology for what had just happened concerning his mother. It wasn't like he could let her walk after a blowout like that. So, they drove down the road in complete and utter silence, not sure of what to say- what was there to say?

"She... She bought a pregnancy test, Henry. I love your mom, but she's a lunatic."

Instinctively, Henry laughed softly, quickly giving her a sideways glance and forcing himself to shut up.

"This is not funny! She knows we've had sex!"

"Well she's the evil queen! I know she's a little... Extreme."

"Extreme? Yeah, extreme." Grace muttered, "and she's probably going to tell my dad. I can say goodbye to that new phone."

Henry sighed, eyes mesmerized on the road in front of him. "I just want to know how the hell she found out," he said, "Emma and Killian will know too- do you know how awkward that would be? I'm actually looking forward to leaving back for Toronto."

It wasn't only them he was worried about finding out. Both of his mother's practically knew everyone in the town. Awkward wasn't even the beginning of it.

"I don't know," she replied, obviously flustered, "but if Regina tells the entire town about our sex life we may as well just pack our bags and head over to the Enchanted Forest."

Henry hated to see her that upset- he was too. They were young and careless; how stupid were they to believe that nobody would find the wrappers under his bed?

"I mean why not, the Enchanted Forest is where we're all from, right? It's been so long since the curse, I barely even remember living there. We don't belong here, Henry, we're trapped in a town where nobody can leave. I love your mother, and I love you, but I can't imagine being stuck in a town where everyone knows about my personal life. You're so lucky you can just leave whenever you want."

Though he wasn't looking at her, he could sense the emotion in her voice. Grace had a tough day; the hospital was getting stressful with all the new changes to the system. The stress obviously showed in her face- Henry suddenly felt horrible. They had this conversation before, and it never got any easier to talk about.

"Hey, look, I promised you that my mom and I could work something out. There has to be a way to be able to leave without loosing your memories; the only problem is making sure nobody comes in."

They then pulled up to the curb of her house, the towering mansion she shared with her father. Henry stopped the truck and turned to face her.

"You know what my grandpa says all the time... Everything we do comes at a price."

Grace rolled her eyes and took off her seatbelt. "Half of me doesn't even want to go into the real world. I mean as exciting as it is, it's all pretty intimidating. Besides, nothing can ever change the fact that I'm Grace Hatter, daughter of a lonely hat maker once known as the Mad Hatter. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go back, to see where we used to live and stuff. It would be interesting."

That comment made Henry smile. The memory of the first time they had met still sparked in his mind- she asked to borrow his markers one day in fourth grade, and, well...

The rest was history. She still had the same rich yellow hair that stayed stick straight no matter what she did to it, the same tiny nose and the same identical blue eyes.  
For a moment there, Henry had forgotten that his mother knew about his sex life.

"That's what makes you so interesting," he remarked, sending her a cocky smile, "you're from another realm. I'm just a kid that was put into an orphanage in Phoenix."

That lightened the mood around them. Grace smiled. "We both know you're much more than that. But I better get going Henry, I'll text you later tonight if I'm still alive by then."

She leaned forward and kissed him quickly before unlocking her side of the door and gathering her things.

"Look... I'm sorry you have to go through all of this. When I get to the bottom of what happened, I'll make whoever's responsible pay."

"You sound like your Mom," Grace remarked, "and speaking about your Mom, you better go easy on her. She's had a hard day."

He couldn't imagine how many pregnancy tests she had lying around the house when he arrived home.

After watching his girlfriend walk up to her front door, Henry sat in his truck for a moment. There was only one person he told about him and Grace- and that was because he shared a room with him.

* * *

Caroline was beyond confused as to what had happened. She knew something was up; her mother had vanished in an emotional huff, and her father was acting odd. Roland was angry and locked himself in his room... Again.

"What did Roland do?" The girl asked again, "he hasn't been this mad in forever."

Robin was conflicted. Of course he was mad at Henry for keeping a secret like that, but he also knew he was old enough to make his own decisions. He also had to keep in mind that Regina had been his mother since he was five months old- the thief had been introduced to by the boy when he was twelve.

"Caroline, this has something to do with your other brother."

"Well why can't you tell me?" She demanded, "I can keep a secret. Is he going to jail? Boy, that would be awkward-"

"No, it's not that," Robin sighed, "it's something personal. I can't exactly tell you."

She scowled. Being treated like a kid really got to her nerves. "I'll figure it out, you know."

Robin sure hopes she didn't for at least another ten years.

"You're just going to have to trust me," he explained, "but for now, let's focus on you. Do you still have homework to finish? I can help you."

Nodding reluctantly, Caroline decided to drop the case and come back to it later.  
The front door opened about twenty minutes later, revealing Henry, who was beyond done with that day. Outside, the sun had completely vanished from the sky, leaving nothing but bitterness in the air and a light snowfall. Both Caroline and Robin had heard the door open, but Henry was already up the stairs by the time they made it to the front entrance.

There was immediately a sour taste in the back of Robin's mouth- he had a feeling that things wouldn't turn out pretty if Henry knew that it was Roland who had told his secret.

Opening the bedroom door, the fifteen year old was suddenly faced with his irate older brother.

"What the hell?" Henry snapped, grabbing the headphones off his head and throwing them to the side. "You told Mom and Dad about Grace and I? Why?"

Roland gulped down his fear and fished for something to say. "I'm- I'm sorry, it just came out. They were yelling at me and-"

"Dammit!" Henry exclaimed, "you ruined everything! I'm only here for a few days, and this is what you do?"

Standing to his feet, Roland clenched his fists. "Look, I said I was sorry!"

Then, in a flash of pure spite, Henry launched his fist in the direction of his brother's face, punching him in the nose and sending him staggering backwards.

Roland quickly found his footing again; something snapped inside of him, he hit him back with surprising force for a fifteen year old. Baseball really did come in handy.

Henry retaliated his force by grabbing his shoulders and smashing him against the wall, causing pictures to come crashing down.

Hearing the noise, Robin resisted the urge to swear as he rushed upstairs, Caroline following him closely. He came into their bedroom to see his two sons furiously knocking the daylights out of one another. His younger son was still pinned against the wall as Henry repeatedly socked him in the stomach- a trail of blood came from his nose as he struggled to get out of the hold his brother had on him.

Robin was quick to tear them apart. "I know Roland told your secret, but that doesn't mean you have to beat him up!" He shouted, "now what to you two have to say for yourselves?"

Roland was still breathing heavily, but he never once took his eyes off of Henry's. When none of them spoke, their father took matters into his own hands.

"You will not punch each other until one of you gets killed- if you want to do that, get out of this house."

The twenty two year old simply shook his head. "Fine. You're not worth it, anyways."

He turned around after he finished, heading towards the door and exiting without another word.

Wide eyed and slightly terrified, Caroline quickly called after him. "Henry don't go!"

The only reply she got was silence. She quickly rushed after him. "Henry!"

That didn't deter him- he vanished through the front door and continued on his way down the dark street. Caroline wanted to rush after him; she wanted to talk to him, to understand what had happened... But her father was quick to catch her before she could get to the door, leaving her in a blur of tears and confusion.

Her brother had never been violent before; the hate in his eyes had been something she had never seen, not even once.

* * *

**Feel sorry for Caroline yet? Some of you guys have told me you do haha. I have so much planned for Roland and Henry's relationship in the future. Once a brother always a brother, right? Seems the Hood family isn't as happy and perfect as it was expected to be... let's hope that changes down the road! **


	11. Love is in the Air

**Let me start off by saying how sorry I am for missing Monday's chapter. I've been so busy lately it's not even funny. To make up for it, I made this chapter extra long. I basically just packed a ton of scenes together into one gigantic chapter, and I added in Emma and a little captain swan fluff. It's surprisingly hard to fit all the characters and relationships in from We Can Love Again! I promise I'll try, though ;) **

* * *

She woke up the next morning to hectic sounds coming from downstairs. It was soon evident why- her clock read seven forty five, which meant she only had a few minutes before she had to leave for school.

Tossing on a fleece top and a pair of jeans, Caroline could only run a brush through her hair before rushing downstairs. Further down the hallway, she could hear her mother busy in the kitchen.

"How come you didn't wake me up?" The girl asked, fetching a plate and dishing up some hashbrowns.

Regina smiled and gave her head a shake. "I did! And then you muttered something and I left. You must've fallen back asleep. Rough night?"

That didn't even begin to explain it. Caroline couldn't let herself sleep without seeing the look of pure hatred in her brother's eyes.

"Yeah, a little bit," she admitted, beginning to pick at her food. "Where's Roland?"

Beside her at the table, her father blew out a sigh. "I've tried to wake him up three times... He won't budge."

"He has to go to school!" Regina told him, "I won't let him miss another day."

Robin gave her a look, trying to come up with a way to talk to her without their daughter hearing.

"He's got, uh..." The outlaw quickly gestured towards his eye, telling his wife that Roland had a dark, ugly bruise around one of his eyes.

'Unfortunately, his gesture wasn't subtle enough for Caroline not to catch.

"Henry hit him that hard?" She exclaimed, shock evident in her voice, "what's he gonna do?"

Regina sighed. "I'll go talk to him- maybe there's something I can do about it."

Before she began down the hallway, she noticed what day it was on the calendar. February fourteenth.

"Oh yeah," she said, a smile forming on her face, "happy Valentine's Day guys."

Caroline hadn't even realized that that day a holiday- every year it signified a week and a half before her birthday came.

Upstairs, Regina gave Roland's door a few hard knocks before announcing her entry into his room. The fifteen year old knew very well that he couldn't fight against his mother, but, the thing was, he was just as stubborn as she. He was still in bed when she walked in; Regina sat down on his bed and glanced at his clock.

"You have about seven minutes before school starts, you know." She said, "and showing up in your pajamas probably isn't the best idea."

He groaned, sitting up to give her a vengeful stare. Robin sure wasn't kidding about the bruising- it was grotesque to say the least, dark shades of brown and purple.

"I seriously don't want to go," he replied, too tired to make his statement more convincing. "I don't want anyone to see me like this."

His mother sighed. "You mean you don't want anyone to know that your brother beat you?"

Roland's face toughened slightly. "And, of course it has to be Valentines Day."

Regina couldn't help but suppress a smile. "Hey, I could try my magic on you and see if I can get rid of that," she encouraged, "nobody needs to know it even happened."

That did sound promising to him. Still, no about of magic could make him feel any less terrible about himself. Henry didn't have a scratch on him- it was almost too easy.

She leaned forward and gently touched the bruise with her index finger, hoping the spell she had in mind would be able to fix it. Thankfully, after a moment of heavy concentration, the blemishes vanished completely from his skin. Smiling at her work,

Regina made a mirror appear in her hands to show him.

"See? All gone. You can go to school and talk to your friends, more importantly, your girl friends-"

"Mom," Roland muttered, "fine I guess I'll go. But don't think taking it away will change what happened."

Regina's smile fell slightly. "I know. But what happened considering Henry is his business- I'll deal with him later. Don't think he hates you though... He was just upset. It's Valentine's Day, you shouldn't have to be sad. If you want to talk to someone, or, or give her something, nothing should hold you back."

Roland sighed. "Whatever. And I'm not going to do anything with Alex, quit holding your breath."

With everything that had occurred with Henry, Regina knew she had to lay down the rules on girls once again. But with Roland, things were different. While Henry was steady dating, Roland was still getting absolutely nowhere with Alex. Not that Regina wanted to force them together, but she wanted her boy to be able to be comfortable around girls and have fun. Not as much fun as Henry was having, of course.

"Hey, I'm sorry he did that to you- you didn't deserve that. But I still love you. I just want you to be safe. Just because your brother is all grown up doesn't mean you have to too. You'll always be my little boy."

Regina didn't mean for all of that to come out so rapidly, but she just couldn't help it. The realization of Henry being an adult hit her like a stone wall- she was getting old, which wasn't nessecarily a bad thing, and the time she had with her children was running slimmer by the day. Every moment counted.

She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him close before he could reply, wanting him to know that she was there for him. The thought of her boys attacking one another like animals made her feel sick inside.

"Now you better get going," she told him, glancing around his closet and getting up to choose a shirt from his selection. "And wear this shirt- I think it looks really good on you."

Roland rolled his eyes. "Gee, thanks Mom."  
~*~

The car ride was strenuous- they had about three minutes to get there, and they were all crammed in the SUV. Caroline was practically on Regina's lap in the front seat; she was quickly gathering her hair into a ponytail as Robin drove.

"We forgot the invitations!" The girl exclaimed, glancing at the clock every few seconds.

"You're just gonna have to do that tomorrow," Regina told her, finishing off her hair and grabbing her backpack.

"Sorry kids, but you're going to have to run if you want to make it on time."

"Great, thanks Dad," Roland muttered, opening the door and taking off in the direction of the school.

"Have a good day sweetheart," Regina said, tightening her ponytail and watching her run after Roland.

Both parents said nothing until their kids were inside the school- it only took about a minute after that for the bell to ring.

Letting out the air she was holding in, Regina turned her head towards her husband. "We sure haven't been the best parents these past few days."

Robin tried to comfort her. "They made it in time though, that's the important thing," he said, knowing very well that she was talking about Henry. "But let's not worry about that now- it's Valentine's Day, let's do something together. I'll take my beautiful queen out to dinner, some place fancy."

There really was only one fancy place to eat in Storybrooke- not counting Granny's Diner, obviously.

"Well I think you're forgetting that this queen has to go to work," Regina smirked, "we can't all give ourselves holidays."

Robin had taken over the animal shelter shortly after they were married- he had worked there ever since.

"That's completely irrational!" He replied, "today is the day of love!"

She rolled her eyes. "This town still needs a mayor on the day of love. Maybe we can do something after I get back."

Though he wasn't stoked about her job getting in the way of things, Robin had no choice but to drop her off at the office and let her work for the next few hours. Since he didn't need to go in himself, he figured he could spend the day trying to come up with something romantic for the both of them.

* * *

School wasn't the first thing on Roland's mind- it never was, but especially not that particular day. Over the past two days, his life had spiraled into a tangled mess. He didn't know what his punishment would be for getting in that fight with Henry, or more importantly, what the future for the two of them would be. His body was still sore, though no evident bruises were showing.

Valentine's Day was something he wasn't expecting at all; there was suddenly a great amount of stress put on him as he sat there in English class, attempting to do the homework on his desk. It was near impossible, though. Alex was sitting three seats in front of him, a clear view from where he was sitting.

Roland was conflicted- he had been for years now. Of course a part of him wanted to believe that Alex could be something more than just a friend. But there were so many risks that came with it. What if they didn't work out, for whatever reason, and Roland had to spend the rest of his life being awkward around her? What if she didn't even like him?

He didn't know the first thing that came with the word girlfriend- the only thing he had to go off of was his family.

Roland didn't know if growing up was a blessing or a curse. He and Alex had grown up together; they had been inseparable since they were four. There was nothing in their way- they were simply best friends. Then, just like that, something clicked in his head, something that made him realize that Alex was drop dead gorgeous. After that, everything seemed to change for him. He started getting nervous around her. Their handouts became more and more stressful as he fought the thoughts in his head. In order to finally get over it, Roland knew he had to tell her how he felt. Then maybe, just maybe, she would tell him she felt the same exact way.

When the bell finally rang, he was the first one to get up and start for the door. That was it, he had decided, no holding back now- it was Valentine's Day, after all. After seeing everyone in his school carry around boxes of chocolates and gawking at love notes, Roland was sick of the whole romance thing.

"Hey Alex," he said once they got out of the classroom, swallowing down his fear and standing tall. It was pathetic, but he had come up with a note on the back page of his spiral that said what he truly thought about her- it was currently crumpled in his palm, hidden away from her view. "I have something to tell you."

She was wearing a long sleeved shirt with the school's logo printed across the front, along with jeans and her favorite pair of white converse. Roland had no idea how it was possible, but even when she didn't try on her appearance like most girls, she still looked absolutely beautiful.

"Sure, what is it? I actually have something to tell you too," She asked, her smile practically melting him on the spot.

Roland felt the paper in his palm; all he had to do was give it to her. But his mind simply wouldn't allow it. In a panic, he hastily changed his plan to buy him more time.

"What... What did you want to say?"

Unzipping her backpack, Alex pulled out nothing other than a rose.

"So you know that guy, Brandt Morris?"

Roland's blood froze in his veins.

"Yeah... I know him."

"Well," she continued, a folly smile on her face, "he gave me this and said he wanted to take me out on a date!"

He had stopped listening to what she was saying; a surprising surge of anger had taken control of his senses.

"Brant Morris is two years older than you," Roland said, "why would a senior ask you on a date?"

Apparently he must've said that wrong, because Alex's smile quickly vaporized.

"I- I don't know, I mean I've never talked to him before today. What did you want to tell me?"

It was all a joke. Roland didn't know what he did to deserve such a horrible life.

"Nothing important," he told her, realizing that he simply didn't care anymore, "happy Valentine's Day."

All the hope he had gathered throughout the day was suddenly smashed into a million pieces. Roland trudged down the hallway and through the door that lead outside, not even giving a second thought to the fact that he was supposed to meet up with August. He was about to start on the walk home when a car honked in front of him. Glancing up, he saw a yellow bug parked a few feet away from him, his sister already in the passenger seat.

"Hey kid, how was school?" Emma Swan asked, cranking up her car again once he was in.

"Fine I guess," he muttered.

Emma could tell he didn't want to talk.

"All we did today was eat candy and make cards for each other," Caroline said, sticking a stick of fun dip back into her mouth. "It was great! Lucy and I had fun."

"That's great!" Emma replied, "she bought about four bags of candy last night- Killian and I had a fun time eating it."

Caroline put on her seatbelt and offered her a snickers bar, noticing something different about the blonde. Around her neck, she spotted a necklace with an anchor on it- in the middle of it lay a sparking opal stone.

"Emma!" The girl exclaimed, "Killian gave that to you?"

She nodded, not having to look down to know what she was talking about.

"Did he propose too? Are you getting married?"

That time, Emma didn't hesitate to take her eyes off the road to give the girl a surprised look.

"What? No! It was just a Valentine's Day thing."

Caroline scowled. "Well why not? If you both love each other, shouldn't you get married?"

"Weddings are way too much work!" Emma defended, "and we're fine the way we are now- Killian doesn't want to get married, I don't want to get married, but we love each other. It all works out."

Her words were doing little to convince Caroline. "Nobody ever gets married in this town," she muttered, "can you guys at least have a baby then? I want a little cousin."

Chuckling, the blonde shook her head. "Why would we need our own baby when we have you two? I was there the day you were born," -quite literally, she failed to note- "and I've seen you grow up. You're practically my daughter. Same with you Roland."

The fifteen year old was hardly tuning into the conversation. "I highly doubt you were there the day I was born," he remarked flatly.

Emma rolled her eyes, unsure on how to reply to that comment. "True, but that doesn't mean we don't love you. Need I remind you that I spent twenty eight years away from my family."

Roland had to restrain himself him saying anything more. Emma Swan had a perfect life and a perfect boyfriend- he was just a fifteen year old kid who had no idea what he was doing.

There was an awkward silence in the bug, one that Caroline didn't want to be a part of.

"So what did Henry do for Paige?" She asked, sticking her candy wrapper in her backpack.

"They obviously did stuff together, so why does it matter?" Roland intervened, wanting nothing more than to just get home.

"Hey, you be nice," Emma shot back to him, "a benefit to technically being your mom is being able to technically yell at you. So watch it."

Roland responded with a groan as he slumped back in his seat.

"Um, I'm not really sure. He's been staying over at your uncle Will's house since yesterday." Emma said, replying to Caroline's question.

Whatever they did, she knew it probably would still be awkward for them. Roland couldn't have picked a better time to tell that secret.

"Oh," she sighed, slightly disappointed Emma didn't know about his current situation. Ever since he left her house in an angry fury, she hadn't been able to think straight. She had to know the Henry she knew and loved was still there.

"But I'm sure he did something nice for her," Emma reassured, "I'll try calling him later tonight."

They arrived at their massive white house; the bug slowed to a stop just as more snow began to fall from the pasty white sky.

"Now you be sure to tell your parents happy Valentine's Day."

Caroline put on her jacket again and handed Emma another piece of candy. "You can give that to Killian."

Emma smiled. "Will do, kid. This cab driver has to get home. I have a present I still need to buy for a certain birthday girl."

Opening the door, Caroline gave her a grin. "Can't wait!"

She was quick to start on the narrow pathway towards home. Roland followed her a moment later, though he didn't get very far before Emma called him back.

"What's your deal today Roland?" She asked, "you look like someone ran over your dog. Was Valentine's Day really that awful for you?"

His eyes remained glued to the sidewalk.

"Look, I know you're mad about the whole thing with Henry," she said, softening up a bit, "and you have every right to be. That's just what guys do- they beat each other up and then all their problems are sorted out. He'll come around, I promise. Until then, you don't need to be taking out everything on your sister. You shouldn't take her for granted, because one day she'll be grown up. Family always sticks together, no matter what."

Roland sighed. "I know. I try, but nothing ever seems to work out the way I want it to."

Swinging her keys with her finger, Emma smiled. "Yeah, that's called life. I remember what it was like to be fifteen. It sucked."

If only she could've seen the bruise her son had left on him.

"Just promise me you'll be nicer to your sister, okay? Her birthday is coming up, after all."

For the first time in days, Roland actually felt better about himself. "I'll try. Things are getting pretty hectic around here with that coming up."

"Always is," Emma replied, "you better get going though. Your mom must be getting dinner ready at this point."

He turned towards the front door, seeing it was still open from when Caroline walked in.

"You're probably right. See you at the party."

"See you there, kid."

Roland was more than eager to enter the warmth and comfort of his house. He could smell something cooking in the kitchen, though he was more interested in getting back in his bed. Climbing the stairs, the fifteen year old was surprised to see Caroline sitting at the top of the staircase, facing sideways so her legs hung loosely between the rails.

"What the heck are you doing?" He asked, noticing her perplexed expression.

Instead of responding, she motioned for him to get down to her level.

"They're mad about something," she whispered, sounding slightly frantic.

Roland didn't get what the big deal was. "How do you know? They're probably just talking about something."

Just seconds later, they both heard the loud, echoing sound of their mother shouting fill the empty hallways. It was obvious she wasn't just mad- she was fuming. Regina rarely got that mad at her spouse; Roland got comfortable beside his sister and began to listen in on their conversation.

"I don't see what the problem is," Robin told her, "we can just go out tonight, then you and I can finally have some alone time. The kids are old enough to make due on their own."

"You're not getting it!" Regina responded irritably, "obviously we haven't done a good enough job at spending time with our kids and teaching them right from wrong- I can't just go on with my life knowing that my sons hate each other. And then there's

Caroline, who's having a birthday in fifteen days-"

"That doesn't mean we can't go out and enjoy ourselves for one night! I'm starting to think you don't want to do anything with me."

She paused her pacing to turn around and face him. "That's not what I'm saying at all! Robin, I love you, I really do, but you don't seem to mind the fact that our son has done... Grown up things."

Robin wasn't in the mood to bring up that conversation again. "I don't see why you don't trust him to make decisions on his own."

"He's not old enough! There's so many things he needs to do with his life before he can start thinking about marriage, a family-"

"He's twenty two!" Robin cut her off, his voice raising substantially, "why does he have to wait? We didn't!"

His words attacked her with a force she didn't think was possible. A dagger may have been placed at her throat. It was a rarity, but Robin actually stunned the Evil Queen.

"Well if you want to things with me you may want to try being less of an ass," Regina replied, fighting to keep tears from glazing over her eyes.

"I want to give all three of my kids everything I was never able to have. Since when is that a bad thing?"

Robin wasn't the type of man man that lost his temper regularly. On the contrary, he was always calm, level headed, and constant- a rock for Regina, someone who could control the madwoman she was.

Once he saw the damage he had caused, Robin immediately let up on his force.

"Hey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. I know you've had a long day-"

"Yeah," she replied, in such a weak voice it came out in barely a whisper. "Happy Valentine's Day, Robin."

She started for the den before her husband could say a word more, leaving him alone in the kitchen.

The next time Roland glanced at his sister, he saw tears on her face.

"It's going to be okay, they always work these things out," he said, remembering Emma's words in his head.

"Things are not okay! Everything is awful!" She exclaimed, "they're not supposed to fight!"

Roland didn't know what to say. He watched as she got up and took off down the stairs, headed for the door again.

"Where are you going?" He called after her, with no response.

Caroline took off down the pathway again; this time, nobody was there to stop her.

* * *

**So where do y'all think Caroline will go? Hmmm... **

**(Pinky swear I will update Monday) **


	12. Where to Go

**Alright, this chapter shall hold the answer to where Caroline decides to run off to. I also threw in more background on Zelena's character and some cute bonding scenes between her and Caroline. Happy Reading! **

* * *

In the reflection of her mirror, Zelena smiled at her work. She absolutely loved the fashion market of that world was something she quickly fell in love with- being beautiful was effortless.

Her hair was done in an array of tight curls that fell past her shoulders, a look quite different from her days in the Enchanted Forest. She remembered very clearly how much her father had disdained her red hair, hair that always ended up in a tangled, frizzy mess.

"You do look beautiful, my queen." Walsh said from behind, causing her smile broaden. She knew there was a reason she brought him with her to Storybrooke.

"Thank you," she replied dryly, putting on the blue earrings Elsa had given her.

After looking through endless magazines, Zelena concluded that the popular fashion wear in the realm she was in was something as simple as blue jeans. Sure she was skeptical at first, but they did look nice- they were comfortable, and she liked the way she looked in them.

"I could get used to living in a realm like this," she remarked, straightening her blouse and giving herself another look in the mirror. This time, however, Zelena noticed something odd- in the top corner, she saw ice forming. In just a few seconds, her vanity mirror was covered in a thin layer of frost. Then, her reflection changed, transforming into a woman with a blonde braid tossed over her shoulder.

"What are you doing here?" Zelena asked, standing up and giving her a surprised look.

"What is taking you so bloody long?" Elsa replied, "it doesn't take seven days to take a child. We have a deal!"

Zelena rolled her eyes. "I'm working on it, alright? You said I could have revenge on my sister, too, don't forget that."

Elsa glared towards her. "Not if it takes you this long! Every day I spend rotting in this prison is a day of pure hell. If you want that time travel device, you better bring me that girl. Understand?"

Zelena didn't even get a chance to reply before the mirror burst into a million pieces. When the Wicked Witch dared to open her eyes, she saw nothing but a blank wall. After examining the shards scattering the floor, Zelena smirked.

"I didn't realize she was such an impatient little bitch when I made that deal with her."

Walsh gave her a look. "Shouldn't you heed to her words? She is the one person that can give you what you want."

"Do you... Actually think she's more powerful than me?" Zelena questioned, raising an eyebrow towards him. "I am the most powerful queen in all the realms! Screw Regina, screw that damned ice queen! They will fear my power!"

She was shouting then, wanting nothing more than to scream those words at the top of her lungs. In the midst of all her gathered anger, there was was a sudden awkward silence that occurred when the sound of the doorbell pierced through the house.

"Now who the hell is that?" She demanded, glaring as she started for the door. With a quick flick of her hand, Walsh transformed back into a black terrier. Zelena then opened the door, revealing none other than Caroline Hood, her eyes puffy from crying.

"What's wrong?" She asked, her sore expression softening.

Instead of responding, Caroline simply stepped forward and wrapped her arms around the woman's waist, hugging her as tightly as she could and burying her face in her blouse.

Zelena's eyes widened as she glanced down at the girl, not knowing how to respond to such an intrusion of personal space. She was squeezing her so tightly, she could barely breathe. A few more extremely awkward seconds ticked by, the sound of her crying filling the empty space. Zelena had to fight against her wits as to not wrenching her off her body and shoving her back out of the door. But if she wanted her plan to work, she knew she had to keep the act going.

"What happened?" She asked, "and why are you here so late? It isn't safe for you to be out here in the woods with the sun going down."

After a few failed attempts to get rid of her tears and her sniffles, Caroline loosened her grip on Zelena and wiped her eyes.

"I'm- I'm sorry, I just didn't know where to go..." She told her, "my family is falling apart. My brothers hate each other, and I guess now my parents hate each other too. I guess that means they all hate me too.."

Zelena gave the girl a long, sympathetic look before answering. There was something familiar laced in her sorrowful brown eyes.

"How can anyone possibly hate you?" She asked, taking her hand and inviting her into the house. "Nobody can hate you. You're the sweetest girl I know."

Well, the only girl she knew.

"I just hate fighting," Caroline sighed, "I- I saw Henry beating up Roland yesterday. He hurt him... I didn't think my big brother could hurt anyone."

Zelena then offered her a seat on her couch, sitting down next to her while trying to come up with some false hope to give to the child. She knew that was what she needed- a little bit of false hope, to make her believe yet again that the world was a happy, welcoming place.

The witch had wished someone could have been there to give her some when she needed it.

"Everyone gets angry, dear," she said in a sigh, "but that doesn't change the fact that they all love you. I think you should tell your parents how you feel- that ought to change a few things."

Caroline once again wiped her eyes. "I- I don't know, I've just never seen my brother do anything like that before. I don't even know what Roland said! Nobody ever tells me anything. And I tried to be happy because it's Valentine's Day and you're supposed to be, but it's way too hard! The whole Roland and Henry thing made my parents yell to each other, on the day you're supposed to tell each other that you love them. I just got scared, and sad... And I knew if I went to Emma's or Charming's or Ruby's houses they would tell my mom. You're the only person she doesn't know."

That was ironic, to say the least.

She broke down into another wave of tears and sniffles after that; all Zelena could do was awkwardly place her hand between her shoulders to console her. Something had to be done.

"Name one thing that'll make you feel better," she told her, "and that's what we'll do. Anything at all."

The sudden question stumped the nine year old for a few seconds.

"Um... Hot chocolate, maybe." Caroline said softly, "that always makes me feel better."

Zelena had no idea what hot chocolate was. "I don't think I have that here. I have tea, do you like tea?"

The girl simply shook her head. Her mother drank it on occasion, but she never did.

"I can make coffee," Zelena said, in a last attempt, "but I don't think girls your age drink that stuff."

"We could go out and buy some at the store," Caroline suggested, "then you can try it yourself. It's really good with cinnamon in it."

As she thought about the proposition for a moment, Zelena's eyes drifted down towards the eyes of the black terrier; even though Walsh was a dog, she seemed to know exactly what he was thinking.

"Alright then, I suppose we could go."

The excitement of the trip almost made Caroline forget her sadness. Zelena led her to the vehicle parked in her driveway, a rusted old two door civic. It had come with the house, probably belonging to the previous owners.

"Do you, uh, know how to drive a car?"

Before she could answer, she used magic to shut the front door so the terrier wouldn't follow them outside.

"Not really," Zelena admitted, "but who needs magic to drive a car when you have magic?"

Caroline didn't know about how safe she felt due to that statement, but she went ahead and got into the car anyways. After getting in herself, Zelena used the first spell she could think of to enchant the car. It started with a soft hum just seconds later. She wasn't subtle about her successful smile as the car began down the long and windy pathway that lead out of the woods. Once they entered their first real road, Caroline started to give her directions, which seemed slightly funny to her- nobody ever needed directions in Storybrooke.

"It's about three more minutes of driving after you turn left up here- and slow down too, you're not supposed to go that fast."

The speedometer was pushing forty five. Zelena simply waved her hand again to slow it down.

"My Mom has magic, but she doesn't use it to drive her car," Caroline noted.

Inside, Zelena laughed. She was such an amateur when it came to magic.

"Well this way, we can get there faster and easier," she explained, in a rather effortless tone.

It would have been easy for the nine year old to say otherwise, but she didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble. So they continued towards the grocery store in silence, the old, battered car making its way into the parking lot within the next minute.

"Just park between the lines," the girl explained, "and stop when you get close to the parking block."

She sounded just like her mother- Robin still forgot from time to time.

"Stop stop!" She shouted, right before the front wheels hit the cement block. Zelena took the enchantment off the car, causing all motion to stop. There was a bit of terror in her eyes due to the urgency of Caroline's voice.

The whole situation was a tad annoying to her- all she had to do was slam on the brakes.

"That's the parking block," she said, getting out and showing her, "you're not supposed to hit it."

Zelena had to fight herself from rolling her eyes. Who needed cars and parking blocks when she had a broomstick?

"I'll keep that in mind next time," she replied dryly, just as Caroline took her hand and pulled her into the store with her.

"I'll show you where the hot cocoa packets are- there's all different kinds, but my favorite one has a picture of a mountain on the front."

There were so many bloody things in that store. Everything anybody might need- clothes, house decorations, candles, thank you cards, games, books, pregnancy tests... Everything. Zelena couldn't stop herself from looking around in wonder as the girl tugged her clear across the store towards the food section.

"Here they are!" Caroline announced, standing before a whole two shelves stocked full of hot chocolate. She picked out a box of her favorite kind and handed them to Zelena

"Now all we have to do is pay for it- you have money, right? Because I don't."

The woman unzipped her purse and pulled out about three hundred dollar bills.

"Yes, I have money. I'm assuming this would cover it."

Caroline's eyes widened. "Yeah... That definitely will."

They made their way back to the front of the store, where Tom Clark was the cashier. Zelena handed him the money and took the box before he could put it into a bag, immediately starting off towards the doors.

"Uh, ma'm, your change?"

Zelena turned around and gave him a confused look. "I don't want it."

Before he could pocket the money, Caroline swiped the money off the table and smiled. "I guess I'll take it then."

The car ride home wasn't nearly as painful as the ride there. Zelena had the nine year old safely back to her house, where Walsh was waiting at the front door to say hello.

Caroline dug around the kitchen for two glass mugs; when she found some, she used the instructions on the back of the box to complete the task, telling Zelena as she did each step.

"Then you pour in the powder, stir it a little, and add in the cinnamon."

She reached inside the cabinet above her on the tips of her toes, grabbing the cinnamon and giving each mug a few douses.

"And that's it! There's a lot of extra packets in here that you can save for later."

Zelena noticed how her mood had remarkably changed from the past hour.

"Great! Now Walsh and I can have some whenever we want."

Caroline giggled as she handed the woman her mug. "Dogs don't drink cocoa."

They sat down on the couch again, mugs between their palms as they waited for it to cool.

"It's really hot, so be careful when you take a sip."

Gazing down at the swirling brown and white mixture, Zelena wondered why in the world anyone would want to consume such a piping hot drink. After all, there was the possibility of burning oneself.

But she watched in slight surprise as Caroline gently took a sip out of her mug- there was no evident pain in her expression, just a small smile as she swallowed.

"It's really good- try some!"

She obeyed, taking the smallest sip she possibly could, waiting for some sort of pain to arise. It came as a shock to her that absolutely mine came- and it did taste good.

The warmth seemed to travel right into her core, making the outside chill dissipate almost instantly.

"It is good," Zelena agreed, realizing that she didn't have to force a smile for that statement.

The girl smiled back. She wished things could stay that happy forever. But it couldn't- her family was still fighting and she was still scared. No amount of cocoa with cinnamon could change that.

"I know a boy, in sixth grade, that has to live with only one of his parents. Emma had to do a case about it a couple months ago." Caroline began, her voice sounding slightly shy.

"His parents hated each other so much, they didn't want to be married with each other anymore. So now, he has to live with them both separately. Do... Do you think that's what my parents will do, get a divorce?"

The question hung unanswered in the air. Zelena couldn't get over how ridiculous the question sounded- Robin and Regina, getting a divorce. She had only been in the town for a few weeks, yet she saw firsthand how nauseatingly in love the two of them were. She wasn't stupid- she knew the truth about the pixie dust, and the fact that they were soulmates. Her magic mirror had shown her the entire scene, and how foolish Regina was for running away.

"No, absolutely not," Zelena told her, her stomach clenching tightly as she spoke such evil words. "Your parents love each other, that's why they had you, isn't it?"

All Caroline could do was shrug. "I guess so. I just wish they didn't have to fight. They never fight."

That comment made Zelena feel like throwing her glass at her already broken mirror. How dare she say such a thing- the naïve girl had no idea what she was talking about. Zelena had to endure years upon years of listening to her parents scream at each other into the late hours of the night. Her father would always storm out of the house and return hours later in a drunken stupor, almost always still raging mad. He had been such a violent drunk. Zelena remembered quite clearly what it was like to hide underneath her blankets and listen to them shout at one another; sometimes her father would strike her mother, and her cries would replace her shouts. Then he would always break things- find whatever he could get his hands on and smash it to bits, almost always storming into her bedroom afterwards and demanding she clean it up. Zelena never knew why her mother continued to stay with such an awful man, even until her death. Years later she realized why; it had been for her. Adults were stupid- they had children with horrible men, and were forced into raising a child they probably didn't even want. They never learned.

"You should be grateful to have the family you have," Zelena began, her thoughts angrily repeating themselves into her head, uncontrollably, "you have a mother, a father, and two brothers; you have an uncle, you have Emma and her pirate boyfriend, you have the Charmings, and you basically have everyone else in this bloody town! They all love you! Why can't you see that?"

She realized that she was talking louder than she had intended herself to, for Caroline had a bewildered look on her face as she stared back at her. Her now abandoned cocoa was cooling rapidly in between her hands.

"I... I guess I didn't realize..."

Zelena had no intentions of saying anything more. She knew she could never understand the hardships she went through- she was a princess after all, a rightful eir to whatever Regina had in store for her.

"My father told me one thing that always stayed with me," she finished, "he said 'whatever you may feel inside, always remember to put on a good face'. Everything will work itself out just like it should, just remember that you come from a royal family, and you have an image to uphold. Can you do that?"

Caroline thought for a moment. She wasn't that great at concealing her feelings.

"I can try," she admitted, finishing off the rest of her cocoa and setting her mug down. Looking outside, she saw it was almost dark- she wondered if anyone was out looking for her.

"But I really should get going. Thanks for making me feel better," Caroline said, giving Walsh one last pet down before getting up and putting on her coat.

"Are you sure you can make it there alright?"

She sounded as if Caroline didn't know those woods like the back of her hand. Light or dark, rain or shine, there was simply no place like home.

* * *

**So, was I right about the cute bonding scenes? I tried to make it as adorable as possible- well, as adorable as a psychotic wicked witch can be with a product of true love... ;) **

**There will be more in store for the rest of the Hood family next chapter! **


	13. Finding Caroline

**This chapter continues where the last one left off, with a little bother bonding. And I also added in another character that'll make things a little more interesting- Rumple. Less than a week to go until the premiere! I'll add in some happier outlaw queen moments soon that will hopefully make things a little better considering all the sadness our fandom has in store... **

* * *

At first, he didn't think it was a big deal.

Caroline wandered around Storybrooke all the time- she knew where she was going, and she knew she couldn't pass the line. It was obvious in his mind that she either went to Emma or Ruby's apartment, Will's house, or the Charming's loft. But, when all of his phone calls ran cold, Roland began to get worried. The thought of going out there to look for her grew more and more intensely in his mind, almost making him forget about the incident earlier with Alex. He was currently locked away in his room, not wanting to chance being questioned by his parents. After the fight they had, Roland wanted nothing less than to awkwardly get in the way of things between them.

As far as Robin and Regina knew, Caroline was safe and sound back at the house with him- if they knew she was out there somewhere, roaming the streets all by herself, they would practically throw another fit. The less they knew the better. All Roland had to do was find her and bring her back before they noticed- he was surprised neither of them had come to check on them already.

Glancing down irritably at his phone, Roland scanned his options in his head. If he was going to sneak out and look for her, he knew there was no way he could do it alone- not if he wanted to keep it a secret from his parents. There was only one other option.

He was still mad at him, nothing except time could change that. Nevertheless, Roland knew he had to suck it up, even if it were for only one night.

"Please pick up..." He muttered, tapping his phone with his fingers impatiently as it continued to ring. By some miracle, he did.

"Roland? What do you-"

"Caroline's missing again," he interrupted his brother, putting it out there, "I- she just got upset and walked out. I called practically everybody, and she's not anywhere-"

"Why didn't you just go after her?" Henry asked, currently situated on Will's couch.

"Because Mom and Dad were yelling at each other, and I can't let them know she's gone. I'm surprised they didn't notice her leave- she's good at that though, slipping out of places without being seen."

He could hear Henry groan on the other side of the phone line. "Alright, well I guess I'll have to come get you in the truck since you can't drive by yourself yet. We can drive around and see where she could've done off to."

"It would be faster if we could split up," Roland reasoned, "we both know I can drive fine on my own."

Henry chuckled. "Yeah, but not legally- you don't have a license."

That he didn't want to be reminded of.

"Fine. Whatever. I just have to get out without Mom and Dad knowing. From what I collected Mom is still locking herself away in the study and Dad is outside hacking wood into pieces. Their fight was pretty intense."

Somehow, the twenty two year old knew what they had been fighting over- him.

"Sounds like it," he signed, glancing over his shoulder, "look- just climb out the window or something. I'll drive over and pick you up, and we can get our sister back in no time."

With all the positivity Roland had gotten from him, he almost forgot about all the hateful things he had said just a few days prior. Here Henry was, his big brother, going out of his way to make sure Caroline was safe back home. Maybe he wasn't such a self entitled prince after all.

* * *

The silence was starting to get to her. She had told herself that it would be a fast and easy walk home, but that soon was compromised. The woods were completely dark, and even she had to admit that she was a little bit scared. She didn't like to go out in the dark by herself- Henry used to take her out there to watch the stars where the branches didn't cover up the sky. This time, however, when Caroline looked up, she only saw darkness. She knew she wasn't going home her usual way; somehow she must've fallen off the trail she always took. There was no way she could get lost in Storybrooke- she knew she would eventually find the road if she kept on walking.

But she was exhausted. All she wanted was to get into her bed and sleep for the rest of the night. The only sounds came from her constant footsteps and her slightly rugged breath. It was colder than she had expected it to be- and why wouldn't it be, it was the end of February. The warmth of the hot chocolate had long since worn off.

She could see a pair of headlights off in the distance, meaning she had finally made it out of the woods. There was a huge sense of relief to finally setting foot on the road. She knew where she was again, and she was off towards the direction of home.

Looking behind her, Caroline could see the bold orange line going across the road. Oftentimes, she wondered what her life would be like if she didn't have any memories as to where she came from, to not have a mother, a father, any friends... She wondered if that was how Zelena felt.

"Awfully late to be out here by yourself, isn't it?" She heard a voice remark, taking her by surprise. Mr. Gold was standing just a few feet away, with his cane set beside him and his car parked to his left. Caroline gulped.

"I was just... Out for a walk," she said, sticking her hands into the pockets of her jeans as a gust of wind came across them.

"Out in this cold? So far away from home?"

She was such a bad lair- she knew this, which meant getting herself out of that conversation would be quite difficult. But, as she remembered Zelena's advice towards her, a bit of confidence shone within her.

"I always go on walks when I'm bored," she said, "they're peaceful."

Gold didn't seem so sure. "I suppose you aren't as young as I thought you were. But still, what's in the forest?"

She shrugged, trying to come up with something. "My... Friend... She lives there."

"Lives in the woods?"

She was screwed.

"Um, yeah, it's... Ruby. She always spends the night camping in the woods when she hunts."

The man raised his eyebrows. "I don't think spending time with a werewolf is safe for a girl like yourself. If you want, I could drive you home, or call your Mother-"

"No, I'll be okay," Caroline said quickly, "I'm on my way home right now. Thanks anyway."

Watching her walk down the street, Gold wondered what she was really up to. He had directed a strange activity in magic coming from the center of the forest, and had come to investigate. Whatever the nine year old was hiding, he would find out.

* * *

"You sure you can handle looking on this side of the town? I don't want to leave you here if you can't do it."

Roland rolled his eyes. "Of course I can handle it. You go and look over by the woods. If I get any leads, I'll call you."

The odds were certainly not in their favor. It was pitch black outside, almost below freezing, and the streets were barren. It scared both brothers to know that Caroline was outside in such a scary world.

"Alright, if we need to we can call up Grace or August to help. Thankfully it's not that late yet. Now what in the world are we going to say if Mom and Dad notice we're gone?"

Roland smiled. " I guess we'll have to weasel our way through a good lie, just like we used to do."

Henry returned the smile. He suddenly couldn't see why he was so mad at him- he was his little brother, his second half, and his partner in crime. The days of them playing soccer out in the grass fields of the Enchanted Forest still ran clear in his mind; if he concentrated hard enough, Henry could still smell the brisk forest air and hear Roland's little laughs. It was a memory that had stayed with him, a time in his life that would never be forgotten; a time when his mother finally found love again.

"Yeah, guess so," he replied, twirling his car keys around his finger, "and Roland? I'm sorry for what I did. The secret may be out there, but it is what it is. It's not like I regret any of it."

Raising his eyebrows, the fifteen year old seemed surprised with his remark. His older brother and apologies were hard to come by.

"Thanks. You're just lucky I didn't tell Mom any of your other secrets."

Henry laughed. "I'm pretty sure she wouldn't make it through the day if I told her everything."

That was the truest statement Roland had heard all night.

"And may she never find out. Now, we better get going."

They both separated on their different paths, beginning to scan the sides of the streets for a lost little nine year old. Henry drove up and down every street, a twisted feeling forming in the pit of his stomach. Sure Storybrooke was a nice town, but that changed once it got dark. He remembered how terrifying it was being trapped in that dusty old mine shaft, knowing that the entrance had been blockaded with boulders that could've crushed him with ease.

The woods were no different- endless silhouettes of thick tree trunks lining ones view, tangled, twisted roots acting as snares, waiting for their next victim to come walking through. Even the air was terrifying- not the fresh, arid breath of air the sunlight brought, but thick and humid, the kind of air that stuck on skin and formed water droplets on the leaves of trees.

His car sped a little faster as he neared the outskirts of the town. Now why would his sweet little sister end up here? He didn't know why she wouldn't seek the company of one of her friends, someone to talk to, like Ruby or Will. Neither of them had seen her since the previous day.

Knowing the town line was coming up, Henry was tempted to turn around and try the next street over. That was, until he saw a purple backpack and a swinging high ponytail against the brightness of his headlights. Stopping abruptly, he rolled down his window.

"Caroline! What're you doing out here?" He shouted, causing the girl to turn around and cover her eyes.

"Walking!"

"Well get over here and get in! Mom and Dad still don't know you're gone."

She scowled at him. "Yeah, because they're yelling at each other. I don't want to go home."

He rolled his eyes. She was so incredibly stubborn.

"Look, you gotta come home. We can talk about it with Mom and Dad. But you need to sleep, because you have school tomorrow."

"I don't want to go!"

"So what are you going to do, sleep in the forest tonight? That doesn't sound too fun to me."

Maybe she did want to go home. But she sure didn't want to get in trouble for being off by herself, and she didn't want to hear them arguing about a problem that didn't even pertain to her.

"I- I don't want them to fight..." She told him, her voice weakening.

"They won't, I promise. They both love you so much, and they want you to come home. Will you get in the truck?"

She lowered her head and started towards the truck, taking her time in opening the passenger door and climbing in. Though she obeyed her brother, Caroline wasn't happy about it. Getting in the same car as the same person that attacked her brother didn't really appeal to her at that moment- the hate swirling in his eyes still haunted her. They both knew she wasn't the most forward nine year old on the planet, but she wanted Henry to know right then and there that she wasn't happy about what he had done. Caroline knew her brother, and that wasn't him.

Resting her head against the cold glass window, she watched her breath turn into white splotches. Every now and then, she would run her finger across the condensation.

"So what, you're not going to thank me for picking you up?" Henry asked, trying to get her to talk.

Caroline shrugged. "Thanks... I guess. I told you I could walk by myself." Her small voice muffled in the window.

It was obvious what she was doing- and Henry hated it. He loved the friendship the two of them shared.

"You don't need to be mad at me, I apologized to Roland," he said, getting it out of the way, "we're good now."

Turning her head to the side, she scowled at him. "So? That doesn't change the fact that you hurt him. Why did you have to do that?"

"And why are you standing up for him so much?" Henry challenged, "he doesn't do anything for you."

"He's family, that's why! We can't just start hating each other, our family is all we have." Caroline said, all of the sadness she thought was gone after her visit with Zelena rushing back.

Henry sighed. "I really am sorry about it. I was just really mad. We're still a family, no matter what. And you'll always be my sister."

"But... Why did you hit him in the first place?" Caroline asked, her eyes glossy with tears when she looked at him. She needed to know; the secret was starting to drive her mad.

The second Henry saw the look in her eyes, he knew he was defeated. There was no way he could lie to her.

"Because I love her," he said bluntly, the word puncturing like a rock thrown into stilled water. "I love her- I love Grace, and Mom and Dad don't want to accept that."

The girl made a face. "What, that's... It? That's what everyone's been hiding from me?"

He sighed, knowing that she was too young to understand. "Yeah, it's that simple."

Turning her attention back to the window, Caroline watched the shops pass by as they made their way back towards the house. "Will you ask her to marry you, then?" She asked, almost absent mindedly, "then she can be my sister."

Henry's face insinuated a smile. "Yeah, maybe one day."

Suddenly, the ride home didn't seem so bad.

* * *

After walking through the forest for a half hour, following the enchanted footsteps Caroline had left without a sound, he stumbled upon an old farmhouse literally in the middle of nowhere. He noticed the shed first, out there by itself, then the old car. Rumple was beyond intrigued- Caroline had been there, and by the looks of things, someone was living there. And that someone seemed to have an enormous amount of magic. He could sense it; the magic made the tips of his fingers tingle.

Then, he saw her. A woman, with red hair, talking to a man on her porch. Inside, his heart practically stopped beating, for he could recognize her immediately. Zelena, the girl with volatile, uncontrollable power, Cora's first born. And she was there, in Storybrooke, a wolf preying on a flock of sheep. Or, rather, one sheep, one particularly white and innocent- Caroline.

It seemed as though Zelena had noticed him too; she shooed the man back inside and began down the pathway towards him. Everything was happening so fast. Rumple had half a mind to destroy her right then and there, knowing that whatever intention she had in his town wasn't going to be a good one.

"I was wondering when you would figure out the secret of me being here," she marveled, taking off one of her black gloves, then the other. The smile she wore on her face was the same one he had seen when he first met her- it showed the confidence she had in her power, and honestly, it was terrifying.

"Why such a shabby old cabin in the middle of the woods?" He asked, "doesn't really seem like your style. What are you doing here, Zelena? Does Regina know you're here?"

The woman let out a laugh. "Do you take me for a fool? That's the game, Dark One- the less she knows, the easier it is to destroy her. I've been interacting with her sweet daughter for almost two weeks now, she knows nothing about it. And do you know what's special about dear Caroline?"

His eyes darkened. "What are you planning on doing with her?"

Zelena was delighted in his ignorance. "You're looking awfully domesticated, Rumple. Did you make that servant girl of yours you wife? Did you move into a small little house, and spend the least ten years of your life with your grandchild? Seems awfully sweet for a man as dark as they come, doesn't it?"

"I put that life behind me, yes," he growled, "but don't think for a second that I won't hesitate to kill you, right here."

She laughed. "You can try. We both know I'm too powerful to be stopped. And you, you aren't going to do a thing to stop me."

He felt it suddenly, the mad rush of hate that he had felt for years as the Dark One in the Enchanted Forest. Striking his hand forward towards her chest, Rumple was surprised to be met with a blow of dark powder, causing his mind to become numb and his body weak.

Before he blanked out, he heard one more triumphant laugh.

"Because you won't remember a thing."

Zelena then engulfed the man in green smoke, sending him back to his car that was still parked on the side of the road.

Glancing around his surroundings, Rumple gave a confused look.

"What the hell am I doing here?"

* * *

**Haha, I thought I'd throw in some quotes from the show. Getting nervous about what Zelena has in store for Caroline and Regina? You all should ;) As I said at the beginning of the chapter, outlaw queen family cuteness is n store for the next chapter! **

**So I watched the beginning of the episode today (only like seven minutes) and I'm already a mess. How I'll survive all this outlaw queen sadness is beyond me... **


	14. Something More

**Hey guys! Happy Once premiere weekend! I timed writing this chapter with Sunday's episode in mind- it worked out pretty well. Family bonding cuteness in this one, and the conclusion of the "Lost Caroline" adventures haha. Enjoy :) **

* * *

She had become lost in her work. Regina did this quite often when she was angry; letting her mind amerce in contracts and business transactions was like slipping under water, going to a place where her emotions couldn't get to her. She and Robin barely fought like they had done earlier, but nothing could erase the fact that they were two of the most stubborn people on the planet.

Almost drowning in papers, Regina caught sight of the time, something she hadn't done for hours. It had been just about three hours since her fight with Robin- it was nearly eleven. That was her problem, her natural tendency to overwork herself.

Putting down the paper she was holding, Regina rested back in her office chair and signed. She knew she had to face Robin and get everything sorted out, not to mention the fact that she hadn't seen her kids since she dropped them off for school.

Getting up and leaving her mess of work behind, she began thinking about what she was going to say to her husband. Things weren't supposed to be this awkward between them- sure he had said some things that were hurtful, but underneath it all, she knew he still loved her. That's what she loved about their relationship- she trusted him completely, and so did he with her.

When she entered the living room, she noticed Robin sitting on the couch watching some show on tv.

"Hey," she said softly, sitting next to him and trying not to make herself seem awkward.

Glancing to his side, he raised his eyebrows at her calmness. "Hey."

After about three seconds of silence and Robin pretending to watch the show, Regina knew she had to say it.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same exact time, causing them to laugh and give one another sheepish looks.

"I'm sorry that I wasn't as understanding the whole Henry situation as I should've been," Robin began, once she granted him full passage to continue, "you're his mother, and I can't imagine how hard it is to see him grown up like this. But he's still Henry... He'll always be Henry."

Regina sighed, her enthusiasm falling rapidly. "Just thinking about it, Henry, our Henry, in love..." She managed a small smile, knowing it were true. "I suppose all of the kids have to grow up eventually. That just reminds me on how old I'm getting- and that's definitely not a good thing," Regina said, giving him a smirk. "But, when I thought about it a little deeper, I realized that it doesn't really matter that I'm getting old, because that reminds me that I have an amazing husband by my side to get old with. I get to grow old with my best friend."

Robin returned the smile, knowing she was right. Every year they had spent together had been a year of happy memories.

"You know, we'll be married for ten years in a couple months," he stated, finding it hard to believe himself, "how'd I get so lucky? It feels like just yesterday you introduced yourself to me and had that godstricken look on your face when you saw my tattoo."

Regina laughed, the tension between them dissolving away like it hadn't even happened. "Well what was I supposed to think? You were the last person I was expecting to see."

They had to do something special when their wedding anniversary came around; but that night had different plans for the family.

Not yet aware that her three children were wandering around Storybrooke, Regina leaned forward and gave him a quick kiss, followed by wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I can't believe Caroline is going to be ten next week," she told him, "now she's the one that's really getting old."

He smiled, gently rubbing her back. "Speaking of Caroline, I haven't seen her since this morning."

He was right. With all the events that occurred, Regina hadn't had a chance to check on her.

"I'll to do that right now," she said, getting up off the couch and starting for the staircase.

It took her approximately thirty seconds to realize that none of her children were in their bedrooms.

She came rushing back down the stairs, her eyes wide and stricken with horror.

"Robin! The kids are gone!" She shouted, causing him to turn off the television and stand up to face her.

"What do you mean they're gone? It's almost eleven thirty!"

She had to pause for a moment to catch her breath. "Caroline and Roland aren't upstairs, or- or down here..." Putting a hand to her head, she gave him a look of complete dismay. "Dear God, we've lost our kids. We are officially the worst parents in the history of ever."

Coming towards her, Robin got out his phone and called Roland's number, swearing when the call went straight to voicemail. Regina checked the backyard and the garage.

"Hey, it's going to be okay," Robin told her, putting his arms on her shoulders to calm her down.

"Going to be okay?" She repeated, "Robin, they're out there in the dark, wandering around and doing who knows what. Things are not okay."

"Yes, but we live in Storybrooke," he reasoned, "a tiny little town- they're safe, wherever they are."

She shook her head. "Something always goes wrong when it's dark- it doesn't matter how big or small the town is."

He knew she was right. After letting her go, Regina grabbed her keys and started for the door. A perfect end to a chaotic day.

* * *

They drove around the streets in an endless worry; Regina began to fear the worst. She couldn't imagine her sweet daughter lost in such a dark and terrifying world, knowing firsthand what it was like. Even Robin was getting nervous. That was, until they spotted the rusted old pickup truck that temporarily belonged to Henry. They were headed home- after a quick conversation with Henry and a confirmation that all three kids were in the car; it was an easy drive back to the house.

Regina was more than relieved to return home, this time with her entire family. It was beyond all of their bedtimes, and every single one of them just wanted to sleep. But the first thing Regina did upon entering the house was encircle her arms around her daughter and hold her close. Thankfully she was still light enough to be lifted up.

"Why would you take off like that?" She asked, her voice heavy with concern and worry.

Caroline bit her bottom lip. "Well... I heard you and Dad fighting, and... I got sad. I thought you were going to get a divorce."

Pulling away from her, Regina gave her a confused look. "A what? No, Caroline... Your father and I love each other very much, but that doesn't mean we can't have arguments here and there. Now what are your excuses?"

Roland and Henry exchanged looks. "We were looking for her, that's what."

"So you two aren't trying to kill each other anymore?" Robin asked, giving his wife a surprised look.

Henry shrugged. "That's old news. And besides, we couldn't let Caroline go off by herself."

It was a sudden comfort to know that her kids all looked out for one another.

"Where did you go?" Regina asked, looking back down towards the girl.

"Just the woods," she muttered, suddenly interrupted by a yawn, "I walked around."

Sighing, Regina used her index finger to tilt her chin up in her direction. "Well you need to get to bed- we're not having a chaotic day like today. I can tuck you in if you want."

She couldn't say no to that deal. Sleep was depriving her mind of all other thoughts; the events at Zelena's house seemed so far away. All that mattered was her was the comfy bed she had waiting in her room.

After saying goodnight to her brothers, Caroline changed into the first pair of pajamas she found in her drawer, brushed her teeth, and practically jumped onto her bed, feeling all of her worries and stress fade away. With her lights still on, the view on her wall completely filled her view. She was so used to seeing the paining that covered her wall from corner to corner, the nine year old could tell someone all about it with her eyes closed. Ruby had painted it herself when her nursery was first getting assembled. Her parents had explained that it was the Enchanted Forest, the realm where her family previously lived. Her mother had left just months before she was born, something she couldn't quite understand. With all the beauty painted on her wall, Caroline couldn't imagine how amazing the realm would be in person. It made her envious that everyone else had been there except her- even if Roland were only four, it still counted. The rolling green hills, the galloping horses, the space... It all seemed perfect to her. She loved Storybrooke, but something inside of her always wanted more.

"You've had such a big day," Regina remarked, entering her room and sitting down on her bed.

Caroline nodded, resting her head against her pillow.

"Are you going to deliver your invitations tomorrow?"

"Everyone already knows they're coming, I mean we do a party every year." She reasoned, "but I'll still give them one."

Regina gave a sigh. "I promise you'll have the best party yet- are you sure everything is okay?"

"Yeah," the nine year old replied quickly, "I just wish we could, I don't know... Do something else."

She already knew what the answer would be- there's not a whole lot of choices in a town like Storybrooke.

"I know," Regina said, pulling the covers back so Caroline's small body could fit herself underneath. "But I have a surprise for you- how do you feel about doing something with me? Just the two of us."

Instantly, she saw her daughter's eyes light up with interest.

"What would we do?"

"I know you think there's nothing exciting to do here, which is somewhat understandable, but... What would say to a chance to head out on a boat and go whale watching?"

"Watch whales?"

"Yeah, I heard it was fun," Regina replied, "turns out Killian has a friend that owns a small boat on the docks- and no, it isn't a pirate ship."

For the region being mainly lumber and fishing, Caroline had never been out in the ocean farther than a few yards.

"Sounds fun! As long as we can actually see some whales." She said, letting out another yawn.

Regina smiled. "Great! But you have to promise me you'll have a good day in school tomorrow. We'll leave right after."

"Just you and me?"

"Unless you want your father to come."

She shrugged. "I'll think about it. It's my birthday week, after all."

A queen, just like her mother.

"Okay. Well you think about it over a nice, long rest. But no sleeping in," she instructed, reaching over to turn off the light her lamp gave off. Before she got up, Caroline asked one last question.

"Mom? What would I be like if I crossed over the line? I mean, what memories would I have?"

Pausing to think for a moment, Regina gave her a look through the blackness between them. "Now what kind of question is that? Ironically, I'm the only person that hasn't been under any sort of memory curse."

"I asked what memories I would have," Caroline corrected, "not that I'm thinking about crossing the line. I'm just curious."

"Well you certainly wouldn't remember me," Regina began, "or your brothers, or Dad, or Emma, Snow, all of them. You would probably have a completely different personality, which is sad, because yours is the best in the world. I don't know what I would do if I lost you in my life. Words cannot describe how much I love you." Regina finished, sending her a smile. "And I don't know if memoryless Caroline would enjoy horses as much as you do."

Fetching her favorite stuffed chestnut horse off the ground, her mother handed it to the girl and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Night, Mom," Caroline muttered, seconds before sleep overtook her senses.

* * *

In the morning, the house was teeming with an array of different smells. It was nearly seven, and although it was early, Caroline was in higher spirits. Nobody knew about her encounter with Zelena, and she had the promise of going out onto the ocean after school. Since it was a Friday, Caroline spent extra time picking out her outfit- a flannel top, her good pair of jeans, and her riding boots. It had been about three months since she had been able to ride her horse, Luna, since the stables were being refurbished.

Making her way downstairs, she was welcomed by her mother and father, as well as Roland, who was sipping a glass of orange juice while sitting on one of the barstools.

Caroline climbed up onto the stool next to him, watching their mother pour batter into their waffle maker.

"Hey, thanks for... You know, looking for me last night." She said quietly, "it was nice. But I'm perfectly capable of finding my way back home."

Roland smirked. "Yeah, but that's what family's for. I have to be the one that keeps you in check."

Rolling her eyes, the nine year old poured herself a glass. "It was Henry who found me. You were on the other side of town when we picked you up."

Nudging her with his shoulder, Roland gave her a defensive look. "It's the thought that counts! You better promise me you won't run away like that again."

Caroline wasn't used to him taking so much time out of his teenage life to talk to her. Still, it was nice knowing he cared.

"That comes from all of us," Regina added in, presenting both children with a plate of cinnamon bun waffles and syrup. It was sort of a tradition for the family, something Regina had made one rainy day that stuck with them through the years.

"Let's hope today runs a lot more smoothly," Robin said, starting on his breakfast.

After eating, Regina worked a quick braid in her daughter's hair, gathering her invitations and getting everything and everyone situated in the car. For once, they were going to arrive at school at a reasonable time.

"When I get my license, you'll never have to drive here ever again."

Regina simply rolled her eyes. "Henry can drive, so can Emma, Killian, Will, Ruby, and David. They're all capable of driving you two to school, but it always comes back to me."

She had a point, but Regina still enjoyed her motherly duties. All she had to do was think back to a time when she was the outcast, when Henry didn't trust her and didn't want her as a mother. Now that she had gained that right again, she wasn't going to let it go.

"You be sure to act happy when you're handing those invitations out," she explained when they arrived at the school, "make them all excited about coming."

Caroline knew she was right, but something in the back of her mind told her that her classmates wouldn't be too excited about being invited to her birthday party for the tenth time, practically the same thing every year.

But this time, this time she had a feeling that things would be different.

* * *

**So, as you all can probably guess, Caroline's party will be a pretty big part of the storyline ;) You're all invited too, as long as you bring a present with you (what ten year old doesn't want a present?). There will be people at the door checking, so don't think you can get in without one. **

**Anyways, who wants to see Regina on a boat? Lots of mother daughter fluffiness awaits :)**


	15. Out in the Ocean

**I can't tell you guys how sorry I am for not updating in such a long time. This chapter has just taken me so long to finish. I do have an excuse though- I took a trip two weeks ago and went to my first comic con with a very good friend of mine, and we both met Rebecca Mader (aka Zelena). Meeting a cast member that plays such a big role in this fanfiction was nothing short of awesome.**

**And a HUGE thank you to OUATgirl17 for the idea about Roland and Henry teaming up to find Caroline. You have a lot of great ideas! **

**So here's the Regina/Caroline bonding time you've all waited so long to read! **

* * *

For the first time in forever, Caroline actually enjoyed going to school. The hope of spending more time with her mother fueled her through the day, giving her a particular smile that she hadn't had in a long time. Snow noticed, as did everyone else. Giving out the invitations to her party had been easier than she had expected it to be- maybe her classmates liked her more than she thought they did.

"I can't wait to go," her friend Lucy told her, glancing over the invitation with curious eyes, "your Mom better make the same cake she did last year- it's always so good!"

Caroline laughed. "I'll talk to her about it, don't worry. We're going on a boat after school today."

The girl's eyes lit up with interest. "A boat? That sounds awesome!"

"Yup. Right after school too. Did you know you can go out thirty miles into the ocean before you hit the boundary?"

Right as Lucy shook her head, the bell that announced the end of school sounded, causing an eruption in the fourth grade classroom.

"You better be careful!" She shouted back to her, just as Caroline started for the door with swift feet. It only took a few seconds for the hallways to fill with students of all ages. She was quick to find her brother in the crowd, who was talking to August, and tug on his backpack.

"You jealous you don't get to come with us?" She asked, placing herself right in between the two teens.

Roland laughed. "Jealous about going on a boat? Hardly."

Caroline rolled her eyes. "You know you are. I get to be with Mom for the entire day- good luck eating whatever Dad cooks for you."

She then took off towards the line of cars parked outside of the school, immediately recognizing the red corvette that belonged to Ruby Lucas.

Immediately, she was welcomed into the vehicle, her mother and the younger brunette in the front two seats.

"How's it going, buttercup?" Ruby asked, turning to face the girl.

Smirking at the nickname, Caroline pushed aside the stack of blank white canvases to make room for her backpack. The jeep reeked of old paint and burgers.

"Nothing much, just learned all day," she replied, accepting a pre made peanut butter and jelly sandwich from her mother.

"You don't mind that Ruby's coming along, right?" She asked, a kind but concerned smile on her face. "She promised food."

Caroline noticed something very quickly about her mother; she was in one of her really good moods. It wasn't that Regina was usually in a bad mood, because she wasn't, but she had a mood where she laughed more than just once or twice, where her smile shone a little brighter, like a piece of light stolen from the sun itself.

"Yeah, that's fine," the girl replied, between bites. Ruby was basically family; sure she was her uncle's girlfriend, but she was definitely more than that.

She and her mother had been close friends before Caroline could even walk.

"It's a nice boat, promise," Ruby confirmed, starting up the jeep and pulling out of her parking spot. Soon the three were heading down the dirt backroads towards the shoreline.

Surprisingly, the weather outside that afternoon was strange, completely out of the ordinary for the beginning of March. Though winter was still coming slowly to its end in Maine, the sky was a stark blue, and for once, the air wasn't carrying a frozen feel to it.

"Do you think it'll be spring soon?" Caroline asked, being the first one out of the three to speak.

The two front doors slammed as the two women got out, slinging knapsacks on their shoulders and surveying the scene.

"It's only March, we still have a little ways to go before spring hits." Her mother replied, setting her hands on her small shoulders and gazing out into the endless blue valley of ocean before them. The modest little sailboat seemed picturesque, something that could've easily been taken right from a magazine- white sail, a curved frame, and a fishing net hanging off the far side.

The three began walking towards the docs, their hair all tied up to keep the wind from getting in their way too much.

Caroline liked being out by the ocean. It was calming to see the waves roll into the sandy shoreline, to see the ivory foam lapping on the surface of the blue salt water. Now she was actually going to go out onto the water, to endeavor on a journey unlike anything the girl had ever done before. However, their epic quest was simply watching whales swim around from thirty feet below the surface. Not that she was complaining, though.

"Watch your step," Regina warned, eyeing her daughter closely as she took the step from the wooden docs to the boat, stepping over the lurking water beneath.

"In a couple of days, we'll have to start putting up decorations at the diner," Ruby said, loosening the rope binding the ship to land. "I really cannot believe your birthday is coming up so fast."

Caroline watched in wonder as she started up the creaky motor, the boat slowly coming to life in a low hum that vibrated against their palms as they overlooked the sea out before them.

"I already like being out here," she said, a smile gracing her small face, "you actually think we'll see any whales?"  
The boat was moving then, slowly at first, though it picked up speed second by second.

"Of course I do! You don't know what you've missed all these years," Ruby continued, "they're huge, the North Atlantic fin whales. You wouldn't think such a big animal would be so fast under the water... But they are."

She could already feel herself drifting off with the waves, her worries melting away with the wind.

"The ocean is so peaceful during afternoons like this," Regina said, looping her arm around her daughter's shoulders and gazing off into the sky. "I'm so glad we're doing this- just you and I."

Caroline gave her mother a sideways smile, her hair whipping around her face due to the wind. It was nice to hear that statement from her- it had been a while since she had done something just with her mother. Henry was probably doing something with Paige, and Roland was probably doing something with August. But Caroline, she was the luckiest of them all at the moment. She was with her mother.

"We should be far out enough to see some," Ruby said, popping the lid off of a small white cooler and taking out a drink. "I brought lemonade."

Hours out on the sea seemed to fly by faster than time spent in the town. In no time flat, the sun was setting, and the three girls were all sitting side by side, sipping lemonade, and chatting away like they were long lost friends. They had so much to catch up on. It wasn't like it was anything huge they were talking about- just simple things, like chatting about the shows they watched and the current fads of the world.

"I think I see another one!" Caroline announced, gripping the black binoculars as she spotted a sudden burst of water. She pointed towards it, causing her mother to give her hand a squeeze and a hug around the shoulders.

"Would you look at that," Regina remarked, "they must know it's almost your birthday."

Ruby gently took the binoculars from the girl and looked through them. "I've never seen so many at one time- Regina, we need to go out and do this more often!"

She was right; they needed to go out and have fun together more often. But then there was life... There was her job in the way, school, responsibilities, even little things that kept her from what was really important. Right in that moment, though, everything that was important was right there with her on that boat. Right in that moment, she was happy.

* * *

**Zelena's coming back soon, and the birthday party will finally get started! **

**Side note: It's been an entire year since the first chapter of We Can Love Again was published. It's crazy how fast time flies by! **


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